Consumption-based carbon intensity in United States
United States: Consumption-based carbon intensity was 0.2855 kilograms per international-$ in 2022. ▼ Falling
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-$, in 2020.
United States ranks 40th of 119 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 33 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.517 kilograms per international-$ | 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
- Share of global CO₂ emissions and population 4.1% (2100)
- Population growth 0.5% (2025)
- Population, total 341.79 million (2025)
- Urban population growth 0.6% (2025)
- Urban population 274.08 million (2025)
- Urban population 80.2% (2025)
- CO₂ emissions per capita vs. GDP per capita 14.2 tonnes per person (2024)
- Cumulative CO₂ emissions 434.87 billion tonnes (2024)
- CO₂ emissions per capita 14.2 tonnes per person (2024)
- CO₂ emissions per capita vs. share of electricity generation from renewables 14.2 tonnes per person (2024)
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.
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About this data
Annual consumption-based emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂), measured in kilograms per dollar of GDP (2011 international-$).