Consumption-based CO₂ emissions in China
China: Consumption-based CO₂ emissions was 10.86 billion tonnes in 2023. ▲ Rising
Consumption-based CO₂ emissions in China, 1990–2023
Source: Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
The most recent figure for consumption-based co₂ emissions in China is 10.86 billion tonnes, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 34 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.1% on the previous year and up 25.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, consumption-based co₂ emissions in China peaked at 10.86 billion tonnes in 2023 and was at its lowest, 2.36 billion tonnes, in 1990.
That places China 1st out of 120 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.
Consumption-based CO₂ emissions in China, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 2.36 billion tonnes | — |
| 1991 | 2.46 billion tonnes | +4.1% |
| 1992 | 2.66 billion tonnes | +8.1% |
| 1993 | 2.81 billion tonnes | +5.7% |
| 1994 | 2.79 billion tonnes | -0.6% |
| 1995 | 3.04 billion tonnes | +8.8% |
| 1996 | 3.16 billion tonnes | +4.0% |
| 1997 | 3.10 billion tonnes | -1.9% |
| 1998 | 3.00 billion tonnes | -3.3% |
| 1999 | 3.19 billion tonnes | +6.5% |
| 2000 | 3.24 billion tonnes | +1.4% |
| 2001 | 3.33 billion tonnes | +2.9% |
| 2002 | 3.62 billion tonnes | +8.7% |
| 2003 | 4.02 billion tonnes | +11.1% |
| 2004 | 4.25 billion tonnes | +5.8% |
| 2005 | 4.65 billion tonnes | +9.2% |
| 2006 | 5.06 billion tonnes | +9.0% |
| 2007 | 5.47 billion tonnes | +8.0% |
| 2008 | 5.89 billion tonnes | +7.7% |
| 2009 | 6.65 billion tonnes | +13.0% |
| 2010 | 7.26 billion tonnes | +9.1% |
| 2011 | 8.06 billion tonnes | +11.0% |
| 2012 | 8.34 billion tonnes | +3.5% |
| 2013 | 8.63 billion tonnes | +3.4% |
| 2014 | 8.72 billion tonnes | +1.1% |
| 2015 | 8.79 billion tonnes | +0.8% |
| 2016 | 8.67 billion tonnes | -1.3% |
| 2017 | 8.96 billion tonnes | +3.3% |
| 2018 | 9.44 billion tonnes | +5.4% |
| 2019 | 9.77 billion tonnes | +3.4% |
| 2020 | 9.80 billion tonnes | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 10.09 billion tonnes | +3.0% |
| 2022 | 10.43 billion tonnes | +3.4% |
| 2023 | 10.86 billion tonnes | +4.1% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 10.86 billion tonnes is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 70.72 million tonnes, 153.5× the median. (32 countries reporting)
- China's 10.86 billion tonnes is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 229.69 million tonnes, 47.3× the median. (16 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 2.86 billion tonnes | 2.36 billion tonnes | 3.19 billion tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.62 billion tonnes | 3.24 billion tonnes | 6.65 billion tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.66 billion tonnes | 7.26 billion tonnes | 9.77 billion tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 10.29 billion tonnes | 9.80 billion tonnes | 10.86 billion tonnes | 4 |
Countries ranked near China
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 co₂ emissions in China?
- Consumption-based co₂ emissions in China was 10.86 billion tonnes in 2023, according to Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest consumption-based co₂ emissions recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 10.86 billion tonnes in 2023.
- What is the lowest consumption-based co₂ emissions recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.36 billion tonnes in 1990.
- How does China rank for consumption-based co₂ emissions?
- China ranks 1st out of 120 countries with data for 2023.
- Is consumption-based co₂ emissions rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 25.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Consumption-based CO₂ emissions. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 34 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 tonnes.