Consumption-based CO₂ emissions in Malaysia
Malaysia: Consumption-based CO₂ emissions was 286.51 million tonnes in 2023. ▲ Rising
Consumption-based CO₂ emissions in Malaysia, 1990–2023
Source: Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
In 2023, consumption-based co₂ emissions in Malaysia stood at 286.51 million tonnes. That is the highest value across all 34 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.0% on the previous year and up 14.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, consumption-based co₂ emissions in Malaysia peaked at 286.51 million tonnes in 2023 and was at its lowest, 72.21 million tonnes, in 1990.
That places Malaysia 22nd out of 120 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.
Consumption-based CO₂ emissions in Malaysia, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 72.21 million tonnes | — |
| 1991 | 79.13 million tonnes | +9.6% |
| 1992 | 88.76 million tonnes | +12.2% |
| 1993 | 93.88 million tonnes | +5.8% |
| 1994 | 94.69 million tonnes | +0.9% |
| 1995 | 105.32 million tonnes | +11.2% |
| 1996 | 104.45 million tonnes | -0.8% |
| 1997 | 114.66 million tonnes | +9.8% |
| 1998 | 79.26 million tonnes | -30.9% |
| 1999 | 94.06 million tonnes | +18.7% |
| 2000 | 106.54 million tonnes | +13.3% |
| 2001 | 112.66 million tonnes | +5.7% |
| 2002 | 119.26 million tonnes | +5.9% |
| 2003 | 130.15 million tonnes | +9.1% |
| 2004 | 139.88 million tonnes | +7.5% |
| 2005 | 142.88 million tonnes | +2.1% |
| 2006 | 145.40 million tonnes | +1.8% |
| 2007 | 157.30 million tonnes | +8.2% |
| 2008 | 171.87 million tonnes | +9.3% |
| 2009 | 164.96 million tonnes | -4.0% |
| 2010 | 186.89 million tonnes | +13.3% |
| 2011 | 200.00 million tonnes | +7.0% |
| 2012 | 222.53 million tonnes | +11.3% |
| 2013 | 251.04 million tonnes | +12.8% |
| 2014 | 253.41 million tonnes | +0.9% |
| 2015 | 235.86 million tonnes | -6.9% |
| 2016 | 242.87 million tonnes | +3.0% |
| 2017 | 246.36 million tonnes | +1.4% |
| 2018 | 265.96 million tonnes | +8.0% |
| 2019 | 275.23 million tonnes | +3.5% |
| 2020 | 262.96 million tonnes | -4.5% |
| 2021 | 274.13 million tonnes | +4.2% |
| 2022 | 283.80 million tonnes | +3.5% |
| 2023 | 286.51 million tonnes | +1.0% |
Malaysia compared with similar countries
- Malaysia's 286.51 million tonnes is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 70.72 million tonnes, 4.1× the median. (32 countries reporting)
- Malaysia's 286.51 million tonnes is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 229.69 million tonnes, 1.2× the median. (16 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Consumption-based CO₂ emissions in Malaysia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | -30.9% | 114.66 million tonnes | 79.26 million tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 92.64 million tonnes | 72.21 million tonnes | 114.66 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 139.09 million tonnes | 106.54 million tonnes | 171.87 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 238.01 million tonnes | 186.89 million tonnes | 275.23 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 276.85 million tonnes | 262.96 million tonnes | 286.51 million tonnes | 4 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
More climate change data for Malaysia
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 621.79 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 4,551 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 1,936 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 2,616 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 7.31 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 93.41 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 7,214 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 3,641 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 3,573 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 13.74 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is consumption-based co₂ emissions in Malaysia?
- Consumption-based co₂ emissions in Malaysia was 286.51 million 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 Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 286.51 million tonnes in 2023.
- What is the lowest consumption-based co₂ emissions recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 72.21 million tonnes in 1990.
- How does Malaysia rank for consumption-based co₂ emissions?
- Malaysia ranks 22nd out of 120 countries with data for 2023.
- Is consumption-based co₂ emissions rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 14.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malaysia 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.