Consumption-based carbon intensity in United States
United States: Consumption-based carbon intensity was 0.2855 kilograms per international-$ in 2022. ▼ Falling
Latest (2022)
0.2855 kilograms per international-$
Change on year
down 0.7%
World rank
40th
of 119 countries
All-time high
0.5461 kilograms per international-$
in 1990
All-time low
0.2831 kilograms per international-$
in 2020
Years of data
33
1990–2022
Consumption-based carbon intensity in United States, 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-$.
Analysis
United States recorded 0.2855 kilograms per international-$ for consumption-based carbon intensity in 2022.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.7% on the previous year and down 18.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, consumption-based carbon intensity in United States peaked at 0.5461 kilograms per international-$ in 1990 and was at its lowest, 0.2831 kilograms per international-$, in 2020.
United States ranks 40th of 119 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 33 years of available data.
Consumption-based carbon intensity in United States, year by year
| Year | kilograms per international-$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 0.5461 kilograms per international-$ | — |
| 1991 | 0.5392 kilograms per international-$ | -1.2% |
| 1992 | 0.543 kilograms per international-$ | +0.7% |
| 1993 | 0.5326 kilograms per international-$ | -1.9% |
| 1994 | 0.5212 kilograms per international-$ | -2.1% |
| 1995 | 0.5136 kilograms per international-$ | -1.5% |
| 1996 | 0.5093 kilograms per international-$ | -0.8% |
| 1997 | 0.4957 kilograms per international-$ | -2.7% |
| 1998 | 0.4914 kilograms per international-$ | -0.9% |
| 1999 | 0.4773 kilograms per international-$ | -2.9% |
| 2000 | 0.4812 kilograms per international-$ | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 0.4703 kilograms per international-$ | -2.2% |
| 2002 | 0.4715 kilograms per international-$ | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 0.4704 kilograms per international-$ | -0.2% |
| 2004 | 0.4617 kilograms per international-$ | -1.8% |
| 2005 | 0.4536 kilograms per international-$ | -1.8% |
| 2006 | 0.4394 kilograms per international-$ | -3.1% |
| 2007 | 0.4257 kilograms per international-$ | -3.1% |
| 2008 | 0.4067 kilograms per international-$ | -4.5% |
| 2009 | 0.3852 kilograms per international-$ | -5.3% |
| 2010 | 0.3865 kilograms per international-$ | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 0.3707 kilograms per international-$ | -4.1% |
| 2012 | 0.3506 kilograms per international-$ | -5.4% |
| 2013 | 0.3497 kilograms per international-$ | -0.3% |
| 2014 | 0.3492 kilograms per international-$ | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 0.3361 kilograms per international-$ | -3.7% |
| 2016 | 0.3227 kilograms per international-$ | -4.0% |
| 2017 | 0.3139 kilograms per international-$ | -2.7% |
| 2018 | 0.3136 kilograms per international-$ | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 0.301 kilograms per international-$ | -4.0% |
| 2020 | 0.2831 kilograms per international-$ | -5.9% |
| 2021 | 0.2874 kilograms per international-$ | +1.5% |
| 2022 | 0.2855 kilograms per international-$ | -0.7% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 0.2855 kilograms per international-$ is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.2507 kilograms per international-$, 1.1× the median. (51 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.517 kilograms per international-$ | 0.4773 kilograms per international-$ | 0.5461 kilograms per international-$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.4466 kilograms per international-$ | 0.3852 kilograms per international-$ | 0.4812 kilograms per international-$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.3394 kilograms per international-$ | 0.301 kilograms per international-$ | 0.3865 kilograms per international-$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.2853 kilograms per international-$ | 0.2831 kilograms per international-$ | 0.2874 kilograms per international-$ | 3 |
Countries ranked near United States
- 37 Canada 0.3011 kilograms per international-$ compare
- 38 Slovenia 0.2972 kilograms per international-$ compare
- 39 Mauritius 0.2863 kilograms per international-$ compare
- 41 Thailand 0.2843 kilograms per international-$ compare
- 42 Israel 0.2813 kilograms per international-$ compare
- 43 Latvia 0.2785 kilograms per international-$ compare
More climate change data for United States
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 274,482 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 60,922 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 213,560 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 229.89 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 7,627 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 107,381 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 89,068 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 18,313 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 336.11 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 654.05 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is consumption-based carbon intensity in United States?
- Consumption-based carbon intensity in United States was 0.2855 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 United States?
- The highest recorded value was 0.5461 kilograms per international-$ in 1990.
- What is the lowest consumption-based carbon intensity recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.2831 kilograms per international-$ in 2020.
- How does United States rank for consumption-based carbon intensity?
- United States ranks 40th out of 119 countries with data for 2022.
- Is consumption-based carbon intensity rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is down 18.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United States 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
CSV · JSON — 33 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Annual consumption-based emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂), measured in kilograms per dollar of GDP (2011 international-$).