Cumulative CO₂ emissions in Antarctica
Antarctica: Cumulative CO₂ emissions was 153,888 tonnes in 2024. ▲ Rising
Cumulative CO₂ emissions in Antarctica, 1987–2024
Source: Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
Antarctica recorded 153,888 tonnes for cumulative co₂ emissions in 2024. That is the highest value across all 38 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, cumulative co₂ emissions in Antarctica peaked at 153,888 tonnes in 2007 and was at its lowest, 3,664 tonnes, in 1987.
That places Antarctica 215th out of 215 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 38 years of available data.
Cumulative CO₂ emissions in Antarctica, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 3,664 tonnes | — |
| 1988 | 10,992 tonnes | +200.0% |
| 1989 | 18,320 tonnes | +66.7% |
| 1990 | 29,312 tonnes | +60.0% |
| 1991 | 43,968 tonnes | +50.0% |
| 1992 | 58,624 tonnes | +33.3% |
| 1993 | 73,280 tonnes | +25.0% |
| 1994 | 87,936 tonnes | +20.0% |
| 1995 | 91,600 tonnes | +4.2% |
| 1996 | 95,264 tonnes | +4.0% |
| 1997 | 98,928 tonnes | +3.8% |
| 1998 | 102,592 tonnes | +3.7% |
| 1999 | 106,256 tonnes | +3.6% |
| 2000 | 109,920 tonnes | +3.4% |
| 2001 | 113,584 tonnes | +3.3% |
| 2002 | 117,248 tonnes | +3.2% |
| 2003 | 120,912 tonnes | +3.1% |
| 2004 | 128,240 tonnes | +6.1% |
| 2005 | 135,568 tonnes | +5.7% |
| 2006 | 142,896 tonnes | +5.4% |
| 2007 | 153,888 tonnes | +7.7% |
| 2008 | 153,888 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 153,888 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 153,888 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 153,888 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 153,888 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 153,888 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 153,888 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 153,888 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 153,888 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 153,888 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 153,888 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 153,888 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 153,888 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 153,888 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 153,888 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 153,888 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 153,888 tonnes | +0.0% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Cumulative CO₂ emissions in Antarctica 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | +200.0% | 3,664 tonnes | 10,992 tonnes |
| 1989 | +66.7% | 10,992 tonnes | 18,320 tonnes |
| 1990 | +60.0% | 18,320 tonnes | 29,312 tonnes |
| 1991 | +50.0% | 29,312 tonnes | 43,968 tonnes |
| 1992 | +33.3% | 43,968 tonnes | 58,624 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 10,992 tonnes | 3,664 tonnes | 18,320 tonnes | 3 |
| 1990s | 78,776 tonnes | 29,312 tonnes | 106,256 tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 133,003 tonnes | 109,920 tonnes | 153,888 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 153,888 tonnes | 153,888 tonnes | 153,888 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 153,888 tonnes | 153,888 tonnes | 153,888 tonnes | 5 |
Countries ranked near Antarctica
More climate change data for Antarctica
- Share of global cumulative CO₂ emissions from flaring 0.0% (2024)
- Share of global CO₂ emissions from flaring 0.0% (2024)
- Share of global CO₂ emissions from cement 0.0% (2024)
- Share of cumulative CO₂ emissions from oil 0.0% (2007)
- Share of global cumulative CO₂ emissions from cement 0.0% (2024)
- Cumulative CO₂ emissions by world region, gaps filled 153,888 tonnes (2024)
- Cumulative CO₂ emissions, gaps filled 153,888 tonnes (2024)
- Cumulative CO₂ emissions, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2024)
- Share of global CO₂ emissions from oil 0.0% (2007)
- Cumulative CO₂ emissions by world region, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is cumulative co₂ emissions in Antarctica?
- Cumulative co₂ emissions in Antarctica was 153,888 tonnes in 2024, according to Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest cumulative co₂ emissions recorded in Antarctica?
- The highest recorded value was 153,888 tonnes in 2007.
- What is the lowest cumulative co₂ emissions recorded in Antarctica?
- The lowest recorded value was 3,664 tonnes in 1987.
- How does Antarctica rank for cumulative co₂ emissions?
- Antarctica ranks 215th out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is cumulative co₂ emissions rising or falling in Antarctica?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Antarctica data come from?
- The figures come from Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Cumulative CO₂ emissions. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 38 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Total cumulative emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂), excluding land-use change, since the first year of available data, measured in tonnes.