Cumulative CO₂ emissions in Hong Kong
Hong Kong: Cumulative CO₂ emissions was 1.75 billion tonnes in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
1.75 billion tonnes
Change on year
up 1.9%
World rank
72nd
of 215 countries
All-time high
1.75 billion tonnes
in 2024
All-time low
54,514 tonnes
in 1938
Years of data
81
1938–2024
Cumulative CO₂ emissions in Hong Kong, 1938–2024
Source: Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
The most recent figure for cumulative co₂ emissions in Hong Kong is 1.75 billion tonnes, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 81 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.9% on the previous year and up 27.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, cumulative co₂ emissions in Hong Kong peaked at 1.75 billion tonnes in 2024 and was at its lowest, 54,514 tonnes, in 1938.
That places Hong Kong 72nd out of 215 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Cumulative CO₂ emissions in Hong Kong, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1938 | 54,514 tonnes | — |
| 1939 | 109,028 tonnes | +100.0% |
| 1941 | 163,542 tonnes | +50.0% |
| 1947 | 181,713 tonnes | +11.1% |
| 1948 | 207,153 tonnes | +14.0% |
| 1949 | 236,227 tonnes | +14.0% |
| 1950 | 1.55 million tonnes | +558.3% |
| 1951 | 3.11 million tonnes | +100.1% |
| 1952 | 4.65 million tonnes | +49.3% |
| 1953 | 6.38 million tonnes | +37.2% |
| 1954 | 8.17 million tonnes | +28.2% |
| 1955 | 10.05 million tonnes | +23.0% |
| 1956 | 12.17 million tonnes | +21.1% |
| 1957 | 14.54 million tonnes | +19.4% |
| 1958 | 16.91 million tonnes | +16.3% |
| 1959 | 19.61 million tonnes | +16.0% |
| 1960 | 22.57 million tonnes | +15.1% |
| 1961 | 25.94 million tonnes | +14.9% |
| 1962 | 29.62 million tonnes | +14.2% |
| 1963 | 33.86 million tonnes | +14.3% |
| 1964 | 38.08 million tonnes | +12.5% |
| 1965 | 42.89 million tonnes | +12.6% |
| 1966 | 48.05 million tonnes | +12.0% |
| 1967 | 54.10 million tonnes | +12.6% |
| 1968 | 60.30 million tonnes | +11.5% |
| 1969 | 68.05 million tonnes | +12.9% |
| 1970 | 76.44 million tonnes | +12.3% |
| 1971 | 85.59 million tonnes | +12.0% |
| 1972 | 94.87 million tonnes | +10.8% |
| 1973 | 104.16 million tonnes | +9.8% |
| 1974 | 114.82 million tonnes | +10.2% |
| 1975 | 125.83 million tonnes | +9.6% |
| 1976 | 138.32 million tonnes | +9.9% |
| 1977 | 152.53 million tonnes | +10.3% |
| 1978 | 168.24 million tonnes | +10.3% |
| 1979 | 184.08 million tonnes | +9.4% |
| 1980 | 200.68 million tonnes | +9.0% |
| 1981 | 219.29 million tonnes | +9.3% |
| 1982 | 238.92 million tonnes | +8.9% |
| 1983 | 259.83 million tonnes | +8.8% |
| 1984 | 282.05 million tonnes | +8.6% |
| 1985 | 304.94 million tonnes | +8.1% |
| 1986 | 330.46 million tonnes | +8.4% |
| 1987 | 358.55 million tonnes | +8.5% |
| 1988 | 387.83 million tonnes | +8.2% |
| 1989 | 417.97 million tonnes | +7.8% |
| 1990 | 445.12 million tonnes | +6.5% |
| 1991 | 473.58 million tonnes | +6.4% |
| 1992 | 506.50 million tonnes | +7.0% |
| 1993 | 541.28 million tonnes | +6.9% |
| 1994 | 572.36 million tonnes | +5.7% |
| 1995 | 603.63 million tonnes | +5.5% |
| 1996 | 632.54 million tonnes | +4.8% |
| 1997 | 663.04 million tonnes | +4.8% |
| 1998 | 701.96 million tonnes | +5.9% |
| 1999 | 744.51 million tonnes | +6.1% |
| 2000 | 784.28 million tonnes | +5.3% |
| 2001 | 821.57 million tonnes | +4.8% |
| 2002 | 860.57 million tonnes | +4.7% |
| 2003 | 903.30 million tonnes | +5.0% |
| 2004 | 944.46 million tonnes | +4.6% |
| 2005 | 987.79 million tonnes | +4.6% |
| 2006 | 1.03 billion tonnes | +4.2% |
| 2007 | 1.07 billion tonnes | +4.2% |
| 2008 | 1.12 billion tonnes | +4.0% |
| 2009 | 1.16 billion tonnes | +3.7% |
| 2010 | 1.20 billion tonnes | +3.5% |
| 2011 | 1.24 billion tonnes | +3.6% |
| 2012 | 1.28 billion tonnes | +3.4% |
| 2013 | 1.33 billion tonnes | +3.5% |
| 2014 | 1.37 billion tonnes | +3.4% |
| 2015 | 1.42 billion tonnes | +3.1% |
| 2016 | 1.46 billion tonnes | +3.1% |
| 2017 | 1.50 billion tonnes | +2.9% |
| 2018 | 1.54 billion tonnes | +2.8% |
| 2019 | 1.59 billion tonnes | +2.7% |
| 2020 | 1.62 billion tonnes | +2.1% |
| 2021 | 1.65 billion tonnes | +2.1% |
| 2022 | 1.68 billion tonnes | +1.9% |
| 2023 | 1.72 billion tonnes | +2.0% |
| 2024 | 1.75 billion tonnes | +1.9% |
Hong Kong compared with similar countries
- Hong Kong's 1.75 billion tonnes is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.73 billion tonnes, 1.0× the median. (74 countries reporting)
- Hong Kong's 1.75 billion tonnes is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 247.31 million tonnes, 7.1× the median. (34 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Cumulative CO₂ emissions in Hong Kong 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | +558.3% | 236,227 tonnes | 1.55 million tonnes |
| 1951 | +100.1% | 1.55 million tonnes | 3.11 million tonnes |
| 1939 | +100.0% | 54,514 tonnes | 109,028 tonnes |
| 1941 | +50.0% | 109,028 tonnes | 163,542 tonnes |
| 1952 | +49.3% | 3.11 million tonnes | 4.65 million tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1930s | 81,771 tonnes | 54,514 tonnes | 109,028 tonnes | 2 |
| 1940s | 197,159 tonnes | 163,542 tonnes | 236,227 tonnes | 4 |
| 1950s | 9.72 million tonnes | 1.55 million tonnes | 19.61 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1960s | 42.35 million tonnes | 22.57 million tonnes | 68.05 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1970s | 124.49 million tonnes | 76.44 million tonnes | 184.08 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 300.05 million tonnes | 200.68 million tonnes | 417.97 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 588.45 million tonnes | 445.12 million tonnes | 744.51 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 967.87 million tonnes | 784.28 million tonnes | 1.16 billion tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.39 billion tonnes | 1.20 billion tonnes | 1.59 billion tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.68 billion tonnes | 1.62 billion tonnes | 1.75 billion tonnes | 5 |
Countries ranked near Hong Kong
- 69 New Zealand 2.01 billion tonnes compare
- 70 Bangladesh 2.00 billion tonnes compare
- 71 Cuba 1.81 billion tonnes compare
- 73 Trinidad and Tobago 1.71 billion tonnes compare
- 74 Oman 1.67 billion tonnes compare
- 75 Estonia 1.67 billion tonnes compare
More climate change data for Hong Kong
- Share of global CO₂ emissions and population 0.0% (2100)
- Population, total, annual growth rate -0.3349 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population, total, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, annual growth rate -0.3349 % change on previous year (2025)
- Urban population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, per capita 1 units per person (2025)
- Precipitation anomalies, annual growth rate -76.56 % change on previous year (2025)
- Urban population 7.50 million (2025)
- Urban population growth -0.3% (2025)
- Population, total 7.50 million (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is cumulative co₂ emissions in Hong Kong?
- Cumulative co₂ emissions in Hong Kong was 1.75 billion 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 Hong Kong?
- The highest recorded value was 1.75 billion tonnes in 2024.
- What is the lowest cumulative co₂ emissions recorded in Hong Kong?
- The lowest recorded value was 54,514 tonnes in 1938.
- How does Hong Kong rank for cumulative co₂ emissions?
- Hong Kong ranks 72nd out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is cumulative co₂ emissions rising or falling in Hong Kong?
- Over the last ten years it is up 27.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Hong Kong 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 — 81 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.