Consumption-based carbon intensity in China
China: Consumption-based carbon intensity was 0.3867 kilograms per international-$ in 2022. ▼ Falling
Latest (2022)
0.3867 kilograms per international-$
Change on year
up 0.4%
World rank
22nd
of 119 countries
All-time high
0.7079 kilograms per international-$
in 1992
All-time low
0.3853 kilograms per international-$
in 2021
Years of data
33
1990–2022
Consumption-based carbon intensity in China, 1990–2022
Source: Global Carbon Budget (2025); Bolt and van Zanden – Maddison Project Database 2023 – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in kilograms per international-$.
Analysis
China recorded 0.3867 kilograms per international-$ for consumption-based carbon intensity in 2022.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.4% on the previous year and down 31.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, consumption-based carbon intensity in China peaked at 0.7079 kilograms per international-$ in 1992 and was at its lowest, 0.3853 kilograms per international-$, in 2021.
That places China 22nd out of 119 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 33 years of available data.
Consumption-based carbon intensity in China, year by year
| Year | kilograms per international-$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 0.6974 kilograms per international-$ | — |
| 1991 | 0.7005 kilograms per international-$ | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 0.7079 kilograms per international-$ | +1.1% |
| 1993 | 0.681 kilograms per international-$ | -3.8% |
| 1994 | 0.629 kilograms per international-$ | -7.6% |
| 1995 | 0.6313 kilograms per international-$ | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 0.6161 kilograms per international-$ | -2.4% |
| 1997 | 0.5858 kilograms per international-$ | -4.9% |
| 1998 | 0.5614 kilograms per international-$ | -4.2% |
| 1999 | 0.5721 kilograms per international-$ | +1.9% |
| 2000 | 0.5436 kilograms per international-$ | -5.0% |
| 2001 | 0.5263 kilograms per international-$ | -3.2% |
| 2002 | 0.5312 kilograms per international-$ | +0.9% |
| 2003 | 0.5545 kilograms per international-$ | +4.4% |
| 2004 | 0.5433 kilograms per international-$ | -2.0% |
| 2005 | 0.5401 kilograms per international-$ | -0.6% |
| 2006 | 0.5337 kilograms per international-$ | -1.2% |
| 2007 | 0.528 kilograms per international-$ | -1.1% |
| 2008 | 0.5452 kilograms per international-$ | +3.3% |
| 2009 | 0.5749 kilograms per international-$ | +5.4% |
| 2010 | 0.5646 kilograms per international-$ | -1.8% |
| 2011 | 0.5885 kilograms per international-$ | +4.2% |
| 2012 | 0.5647 kilograms per international-$ | -4.0% |
| 2013 | 0.5417 kilograms per international-$ | -4.1% |
| 2014 | 0.5098 kilograms per international-$ | -5.9% |
| 2015 | 0.4803 kilograms per international-$ | -5.8% |
| 2016 | 0.4437 kilograms per international-$ | -7.6% |
| 2017 | 0.4287 kilograms per international-$ | -3.4% |
| 2018 | 0.4236 kilograms per international-$ | -1.2% |
| 2019 | 0.4133 kilograms per international-$ | -2.4% |
| 2020 | 0.4057 kilograms per international-$ | -1.8% |
| 2021 | 0.3853 kilograms per international-$ | -5.0% |
| 2022 | 0.3867 kilograms per international-$ | +0.4% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 0.3867 kilograms per international-$ is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.2498 kilograms per international-$, 1.5× the median. (32 countries reporting)
- China's 0.3867 kilograms per international-$ is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.2843 kilograms per international-$, 1.4× the median. (15 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.6383 kilograms per international-$ | 0.5614 kilograms per international-$ | 0.7079 kilograms per international-$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.5421 kilograms per international-$ | 0.5263 kilograms per international-$ | 0.5749 kilograms per international-$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.4959 kilograms per international-$ | 0.4133 kilograms per international-$ | 0.5885 kilograms per international-$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.3926 kilograms per international-$ | 0.3853 kilograms per international-$ | 0.4057 kilograms per international-$ | 3 |
Countries ranked near China
- 19 Hong Kong 0.4072 kilograms per international-$ compare
- 20 Iran 0.4022 kilograms per international-$ compare
- 21 Belarus 0.3887 kilograms per international-$ compare
- 23 Kazakhstan 0.3724 kilograms per international-$ compare
- 24 Senegal 0.3672 kilograms per international-$ compare
- 25 Estonia 0.366 kilograms per international-$ compare
More climate change data for China
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 31.25 billion kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 604,831 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 191,478 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 413,353 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 722.56 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 14,763 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 342,069 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 200,605 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 141,464 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 757 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is consumption-based carbon intensity in China?
- Consumption-based carbon intensity in China was 0.3867 kilograms per international-$ in 2022, according to Global Carbon Budget (2025); Bolt and van Zanden – Maddison Project Database 2023 – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest consumption-based carbon intensity recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 0.7079 kilograms per international-$ in 1992.
- What is the lowest consumption-based carbon intensity recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.3853 kilograms per international-$ in 2021.
- How does China rank for consumption-based carbon intensity?
- China ranks 22nd out of 119 countries with data for 2022.
- Is consumption-based carbon intensity rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 31.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Global Carbon Budget (2025); Bolt and van Zanden – Maddison Project Database 2023 – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Consumption-based carbon intensity. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Annual consumption-based emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂), measured in kilograms per dollar of GDP (2011 international-$).