Cumulative CO₂ emissions in Kenya
Kenya: Cumulative CO₂ emissions was 551.31 million tonnes in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
551.31 million tonnes
Change on year
up 4.0%
World rank
98th
of 215 countries
All-time high
551.31 million tonnes
in 2024
All-time low
908,672 tonnes
in 1950
Years of data
75
1950–2024
Cumulative CO₂ emissions in Kenya, 1950–2024
Source: Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
Kenya recorded 551.31 million tonnes for cumulative co₂ emissions in 2024. That is the highest value across all 75 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.0% on the previous year and up 51.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, cumulative co₂ emissions in Kenya peaked at 551.31 million tonnes in 2024 and was at its lowest, 908,672 tonnes, in 1950.
Kenya ranks 98th of 215 countries on this measure, 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 Kenya, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 908,672 tonnes | — |
| 1951 | 2.30 million tonnes | +153.2% |
| 1952 | 3.89 million tonnes | +69.1% |
| 1953 | 5.40 million tonnes | +38.9% |
| 1954 | 7.10 million tonnes | +31.5% |
| 1955 | 9.09 million tonnes | +27.9% |
| 1956 | 11.31 million tonnes | +24.4% |
| 1957 | 13.59 million tonnes | +20.2% |
| 1958 | 15.68 million tonnes | +15.4% |
| 1959 | 17.89 million tonnes | +14.1% |
| 1960 | 20.31 million tonnes | +13.6% |
| 1961 | 22.71 million tonnes | +11.8% |
| 1962 | 25.33 million tonnes | +11.5% |
| 1963 | 28.18 million tonnes | +11.3% |
| 1964 | 31.01 million tonnes | +10.0% |
| 1965 | 33.47 million tonnes | +7.9% |
| 1966 | 36.15 million tonnes | +8.0% |
| 1967 | 38.85 million tonnes | +7.5% |
| 1968 | 41.67 million tonnes | +7.2% |
| 1969 | 44.79 million tonnes | +7.5% |
| 1970 | 47.87 million tonnes | +6.9% |
| 1971 | 51.55 million tonnes | +7.7% |
| 1972 | 55.41 million tonnes | +7.5% |
| 1973 | 59.32 million tonnes | +7.1% |
| 1974 | 64.26 million tonnes | +8.3% |
| 1975 | 69.23 million tonnes | +7.7% |
| 1976 | 73.83 million tonnes | +6.6% |
| 1977 | 78.87 million tonnes | +6.8% |
| 1978 | 84.18 million tonnes | +6.7% |
| 1979 | 89.20 million tonnes | +6.0% |
| 1980 | 95.38 million tonnes | +6.9% |
| 1981 | 101.88 million tonnes | +6.8% |
| 1982 | 106.55 million tonnes | +4.6% |
| 1983 | 111.19 million tonnes | +4.4% |
| 1984 | 115.49 million tonnes | +3.9% |
| 1985 | 119.24 million tonnes | +3.2% |
| 1986 | 123.38 million tonnes | +3.5% |
| 1987 | 128.53 million tonnes | +4.2% |
| 1988 | 133.29 million tonnes | +3.7% |
| 1989 | 138.45 million tonnes | +3.9% |
| 1990 | 144.24 million tonnes | +4.2% |
| 1991 | 149.04 million tonnes | +3.3% |
| 1992 | 154.55 million tonnes | +3.7% |
| 1993 | 160.86 million tonnes | +4.1% |
| 1994 | 167.38 million tonnes | +4.1% |
| 1995 | 174.90 million tonnes | +4.5% |
| 1996 | 184.18 million tonnes | +5.3% |
| 1997 | 192.41 million tonnes | +4.5% |
| 1998 | 202.41 million tonnes | +5.2% |
| 1999 | 212.43 million tonnes | +5.0% |
| 2000 | 222.81 million tonnes | +4.9% |
| 2001 | 232.04 million tonnes | +4.1% |
| 2002 | 239.85 million tonnes | +3.4% |
| 2003 | 246.57 million tonnes | +2.8% |
| 2004 | 254.19 million tonnes | +3.1% |
| 2005 | 262.65 million tonnes | +3.3% |
| 2006 | 272.21 million tonnes | +3.6% |
| 2007 | 281.95 million tonnes | +3.6% |
| 2008 | 292.05 million tonnes | +3.6% |
| 2009 | 304.23 million tonnes | +4.2% |
| 2010 | 316.09 million tonnes | +3.9% |
| 2011 | 328.31 million tonnes | +3.9% |
| 2012 | 339.55 million tonnes | +3.4% |
| 2013 | 351.71 million tonnes | +3.6% |
| 2014 | 364.93 million tonnes | +3.8% |
| 2015 | 380.14 million tonnes | +4.2% |
| 2016 | 396.43 million tonnes | +4.3% |
| 2017 | 412.61 million tonnes | +4.1% |
| 2018 | 429.61 million tonnes | +4.1% |
| 2019 | 447.77 million tonnes | +4.2% |
| 2020 | 467.76 million tonnes | +4.5% |
| 2021 | 488.35 million tonnes | +4.4% |
| 2022 | 508.90 million tonnes | +4.2% |
| 2023 | 530.08 million tonnes | +4.2% |
| 2024 | 551.31 million tonnes | +4.0% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 551.31 million tonnes is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 300.60 million tonnes, 1.8× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 551.31 million tonnes is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 103.07 million tonnes, 5.3× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Cumulative CO₂ emissions in Kenya 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1951 | +153.2% | 908,672 tonnes | 2.30 million tonnes |
| 1952 | +69.1% | 2.30 million tonnes | 3.89 million tonnes |
| 1953 | +38.9% | 3.89 million tonnes | 5.40 million tonnes |
| 1954 | +31.5% | 5.40 million tonnes | 7.10 million tonnes |
| 1955 | +27.9% | 7.10 million tonnes | 9.09 million tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 8.72 million tonnes | 908,672 tonnes | 17.89 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1960s | 32.25 million tonnes | 20.31 million tonnes | 44.79 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1970s | 67.37 million tonnes | 47.87 million tonnes | 89.20 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 117.34 million tonnes | 95.38 million tonnes | 138.45 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 174.24 million tonnes | 144.24 million tonnes | 212.43 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 260.86 million tonnes | 222.81 million tonnes | 304.23 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 376.72 million tonnes | 316.09 million tonnes | 447.77 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 509.28 million tonnes | 467.76 million tonnes | 551.31 million tonnes | 5 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
More climate change data for Kenya
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 276.34 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 50,641 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 16,186 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 34,454 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 61.08 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 1,231 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 2,372 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 2,116 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 255.67 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 7.99 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is cumulative co₂ emissions in Kenya?
- Cumulative co₂ emissions in Kenya was 551.31 million 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 Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 551.31 million tonnes in 2024.
- What is the lowest cumulative co₂ emissions recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 908,672 tonnes in 1950.
- How does Kenya rank for cumulative co₂ emissions?
- Kenya ranks 98th out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is cumulative co₂ emissions rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 51.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Kenya 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 — 75 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.