Consumption-based CO₂ emissions in Zambia
Zambia: Consumption-based CO₂ emissions was 12.71 million tonnes in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Consumption-based CO₂ emissions in Zambia, 1990–2023
Source: Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
Zambia recorded 12.71 million tonnes for consumption-based co₂ emissions in 2023. That is the highest value across all 34 years on record.
That represents a change of up 8.3% on the previous year and up 45.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, consumption-based co₂ emissions in Zambia peaked at 12.71 million tonnes in 2023 and was at its lowest, 1.58 million tonnes, in 1990.
Zambia ranks 98th of 120 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 2.01 million tonnes | 1.58 million tonnes | 2.48 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.71 million tonnes | 3.69 million tonnes | 6.93 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.11 million tonnes | 5.91 million tonnes | 11.14 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.05 million tonnes | 9.88 million tonnes | 12.71 million tonnes | 4 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More climate change data for Zambia
- Share of global CO₂ emissions and population 0.6% (2100)
- Population growth 2.8% (2025)
- Population, total 21.91 million (2025)
- Urban population growth 3.7% (2025)
- Urban population 10.06 million (2025)
- Urban population 45.9% (2025)
- CO₂ emissions per capita vs. GDP per capita 0.565 tonnes per person (2024)
- Cumulative CO₂ emissions 300.84 million tonnes (2024)
- CO₂ emissions per capita 0.565 tonnes per person (2024)
- CO₂ emissions per capita vs. share of electricity generation from renewables 0.565 tonnes per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is consumption-based co₂ emissions in Zambia?
- Consumption-based co₂ emissions in Zambia was 12.71 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 Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 12.71 million tonnes in 2023.
- What is the lowest consumption-based co₂ emissions recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.58 million tonnes in 1990.
- How does Zambia rank for consumption-based co₂ emissions?
- Zambia ranks 98th out of 120 countries with data for 2023.
- Is consumption-based co₂ emissions rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 45.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Zambia 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.