Consumption-based carbon intensity in China
China: Consumption-based carbon intensity was 0.3867 kilograms per international-$ in 2022. ▼ Falling
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-$, in 2021.
That places China 22nd out of 119 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 33 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.6383 kilograms per international-$ | 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
- Share of global CO₂ emissions and population 6.2% (2100)
- Population growth -0.2% (2025)
- Population, total 1.41 billion (2025)
- Urban population growth 0.5% (2025)
- Urban population 933.17 million (2025)
- Urban population 66.3% (2025)
- CO₂ emissions per capita vs. GDP per capita 8.66 tonnes per person (2024)
- Cumulative CO₂ emissions 285.09 billion tonnes (2024)
- CO₂ emissions per capita 8.66 tonnes per person (2024)
- CO₂ emissions per capita vs. share of electricity generation from renewables 8.66 tonnes per person (2024)
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.
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About this data
Annual consumption-based emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂), measured in kilograms per dollar of GDP (2011 international-$).