Carbon intensity of energy in United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates: Carbon intensity of energy was 157.35 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
157.35 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour
Change on year
up 3.4%
World rank
177th
of 204 countries
All-time high
2,943 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour
in 1969
All-time low
25.73 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour
in 1965
Years of data
60
1965–2024
Carbon intensity of energy in United Arab Emirates, 1965–2024
Source: Global Carbon Budget (2025) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour.
Analysis
United Arab Emirates recorded 157.35 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour for carbon intensity of energy in 2024.
That represents a change of up 3.4% on the previous year and down 16.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, carbon intensity of energy in United Arab Emirates peaked at 2,943 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour in 1969 and was at its lowest, 25.73 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour, in 1965.
That places United Arab Emirates 177th out of 204 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Carbon intensity of energy in United Arab Emirates, year by year
| Year | grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 25.73 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | — |
| 1966 | 28.12 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +9.3% |
| 1967 | 169.42 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +502.5% |
| 1968 | 178.85 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +5.6% |
| 1969 | 2,943 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +1545.3% |
| 1970 | 1,586 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -46.1% |
| 1971 | 1,446 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -8.8% |
| 1972 | 1,497 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +3.6% |
| 1973 | 1,508 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +0.7% |
| 1974 | 1,404 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -6.9% |
| 1975 | 1,301 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -7.3% |
| 1976 | 1,312 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +0.9% |
| 1977 | 780.81 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -40.5% |
| 1978 | 778.58 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -0.3% |
| 1979 | 541.26 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -30.5% |
| 1980 | 340.8 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -37.0% |
| 1981 | 292.31 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -14.2% |
| 1982 | 270.79 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -7.4% |
| 1983 | 270.39 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -0.1% |
| 1984 | 284.88 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +5.4% |
| 1985 | 247.12 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -13.3% |
| 1986 | 192.96 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -21.9% |
| 1987 | 174.33 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -9.7% |
| 1988 | 159.91 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -8.3% |
| 1989 | 159.88 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -0.0% |
| 1990 | 150.48 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -5.9% |
| 1991 | 135.2 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -10.2% |
| 1992 | 142.63 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +5.5% |
| 1993 | 155.46 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +9.0% |
| 1994 | 162.16 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +4.3% |
| 1995 | 150.29 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -7.3% |
| 1996 | 151.77 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +1.0% |
| 1997 | 140.56 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -7.4% |
| 1998 | 150.95 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +7.4% |
| 1999 | 144.59 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -4.2% |
| 2000 | 209.56 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +44.9% |
| 2001 | 188.15 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -10.2% |
| 2002 | 144.02 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -23.5% |
| 2003 | 169.7 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +17.8% |
| 2004 | 166.6 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -1.8% |
| 2005 | 163.6 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -1.8% |
| 2006 | 165.55 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +1.2% |
| 2007 | 163.87 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -1.0% |
| 2008 | 165.21 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +0.8% |
| 2009 | 182.69 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +10.6% |
| 2010 | 191.11 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +4.6% |
| 2011 | 194.46 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +1.7% |
| 2012 | 193.96 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 189.26 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -2.4% |
| 2014 | 189.07 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 184.07 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -2.6% |
| 2016 | 179.59 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -2.4% |
| 2017 | 162.3 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -9.6% |
| 2018 | 180.5 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +11.2% |
| 2019 | 168.2 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -6.8% |
| 2020 | 183.17 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +8.9% |
| 2021 | 175.42 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -4.2% |
| 2022 | 159.98 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -8.8% |
| 2023 | 152.23 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -4.8% |
| 2024 | 157.35 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +3.4% |
United Arab Emirates compared with similar countries
- United Arab Emirates's 157.35 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour is below the median for high income countries, which is 184.8 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour, 85% of the median. (69 countries reporting)
- United Arab Emirates's 157.35 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 215.73 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour, 73% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Carbon intensity of energy in United Arab Emirates changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | +1545.3% | 178.85 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 2,943 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour |
| 1967 | +502.5% | 28.12 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 169.42 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 668.96 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 25.73 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 2,943 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 5 |
| 1970s | 1,216 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 541.26 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 1,586 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 10 |
| 1980s | 239.34 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 159.88 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 340.8 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 10 |
| 1990s | 148.41 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 135.2 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 162.16 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 10 |
| 2000s | 171.89 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 144.02 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 209.56 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 10 |
| 2010s | 183.25 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 162.3 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 194.46 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 10 |
| 2020s | 165.63 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 152.23 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 183.17 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 5 |
Countries ranked near United Arab Emirates
- 174 Hungary 158.74 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour compare
- 175 Brazil 158.46 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour compare
- 176 Seychelles 158.3 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour compare
- 178 Estonia 156.87 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour compare
- 179 Spain 155.94 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour compare
- 180 Eswatini 149.91 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour compare
More climate change data for United Arab Emirates
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 20.45 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 1,596 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 556.37 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 1,039 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 2.1 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 37.11 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 113.03 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 113.02 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 0.0084 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 0.4265 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is carbon intensity of energy in United Arab Emirates?
- Carbon intensity of energy in United Arab Emirates was 157.35 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour in 2024, according to Global Carbon Budget (2025) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest carbon intensity of energy recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The highest recorded value was 2,943 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour in 1969.
- What is the lowest carbon intensity of energy recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The lowest recorded value was 25.73 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour in 1965.
- How does United Arab Emirates rank for carbon intensity of energy?
- United Arab Emirates ranks 177th out of 204 countries with data for 2024.
- Is carbon intensity of energy rising or falling in United Arab Emirates?
- Over the last ten years it is down 16.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United Arab Emirates data come from?
- The figures come from Global Carbon Budget (2025) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Carbon intensity of energy. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 60 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Fossil carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions per unit of total energy supply, measured in grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour.