Cumulative CO₂ emissions in Laos
Laos: Cumulative CO₂ emissions was 243.01 million tonnes in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
243.01 million tonnes
Change on year
up 11.2%
World rank
123rd
of 215 countries
All-time high
243.01 million tonnes
in 2024
All-time low
25,648 tonnes
in 1955
Years of data
70
1955–2024
Cumulative CO₂ emissions in Laos, 1955–2024
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 Laos is 243.01 million tonnes, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 70 years on record.
That represents a change of up 11.2% on the previous year and up 409.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, cumulative co₂ emissions in Laos peaked at 243.01 million tonnes in 2024 and was at its lowest, 25,648 tonnes, in 1955.
Laos ranks 123rd 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 Laos, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1955 | 25,648 tonnes | — |
| 1956 | 84,272 tonnes | +228.6% |
| 1957 | 142,896 tonnes | +69.6% |
| 1958 | 216,176 tonnes | +51.3% |
| 1959 | 293,120 tonnes | +35.6% |
| 1960 | 373,728 tonnes | +27.5% |
| 1961 | 487,312 tonnes | +30.4% |
| 1962 | 619,216 tonnes | +27.1% |
| 1963 | 765,776 tonnes | +23.7% |
| 1964 | 937,984 tonnes | +22.5% |
| 1965 | 1.12 million tonnes | +19.1% |
| 1966 | 1.35 million tonnes | +21.0% |
| 1967 | 1.67 million tonnes | +23.6% |
| 1968 | 1.84 million tonnes | +10.1% |
| 1969 | 2.16 million tonnes | +17.3% |
| 1970 | 2.73 million tonnes | +26.5% |
| 1971 | 3.15 million tonnes | +15.4% |
| 1972 | 3.64 million tonnes | +15.5% |
| 1973 | 4.15 million tonnes | +14.2% |
| 1974 | 4.45 million tonnes | +7.1% |
| 1975 | 4.70 million tonnes | +5.7% |
| 1976 | 4.92 million tonnes | +4.8% |
| 1977 | 5.16 million tonnes | +4.7% |
| 1978 | 5.39 million tonnes | +4.5% |
| 1979 | 5.61 million tonnes | +4.1% |
| 1980 | 5.80 million tonnes | +3.3% |
| 1981 | 5.95 million tonnes | +2.6% |
| 1982 | 6.10 million tonnes | +2.6% |
| 1983 | 6.28 million tonnes | +2.9% |
| 1984 | 6.47 million tonnes | +2.9% |
| 1985 | 6.67 million tonnes | +3.2% |
| 1986 | 6.88 million tonnes | +3.1% |
| 1987 | 7.09 million tonnes | +3.1% |
| 1988 | 7.31 million tonnes | +3.0% |
| 1989 | 7.54 million tonnes | +3.2% |
| 1990 | 8.05 million tonnes | +6.8% |
| 1991 | 8.60 million tonnes | +6.8% |
| 1992 | 9.19 million tonnes | +6.9% |
| 1993 | 9.80 million tonnes | +6.6% |
| 1994 | 10.43 million tonnes | +6.4% |
| 1995 | 11.10 million tonnes | +6.4% |
| 1996 | 11.85 million tonnes | +6.8% |
| 1997 | 12.64 million tonnes | +6.7% |
| 1998 | 13.46 million tonnes | +6.5% |
| 1999 | 14.31 million tonnes | +6.3% |
| 2000 | 15.27 million tonnes | +6.7% |
| 2001 | 16.33 million tonnes | +6.9% |
| 2002 | 17.49 million tonnes | +7.1% |
| 2003 | 18.72 million tonnes | +7.0% |
| 2004 | 20.00 million tonnes | +6.9% |
| 2005 | 21.33 million tonnes | +6.7% |
| 2006 | 23.09 million tonnes | +8.2% |
| 2007 | 24.93 million tonnes | +7.9% |
| 2008 | 27.06 million tonnes | +8.5% |
| 2009 | 29.73 million tonnes | +9.9% |
| 2010 | 32.73 million tonnes | +10.1% |
| 2011 | 35.82 million tonnes | +9.5% |
| 2012 | 39.15 million tonnes | +9.3% |
| 2013 | 43.35 million tonnes | +10.7% |
| 2014 | 47.73 million tonnes | +10.1% |
| 2015 | 56.92 million tonnes | +19.2% |
| 2016 | 73.33 million tonnes | +28.8% |
| 2017 | 92.95 million tonnes | +26.8% |
| 2018 | 113.43 million tonnes | +22.0% |
| 2019 | 131.77 million tonnes | +16.2% |
| 2020 | 150.06 million tonnes | +13.9% |
| 2021 | 171.90 million tonnes | +14.6% |
| 2022 | 194.45 million tonnes | +13.1% |
| 2023 | 218.61 million tonnes | +12.4% |
| 2024 | 243.01 million tonnes | +11.2% |
Laos compared with similar countries
- Laos's 243.01 million tonnes is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 300.60 million tonnes, 81% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Laos's 243.01 million tonnes is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 247.31 million tonnes, 98% of the median. (34 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Cumulative CO₂ emissions in Laos 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 | +228.6% | 25,648 tonnes | 84,272 tonnes |
| 1957 | +69.6% | 84,272 tonnes | 142,896 tonnes |
| 1958 | +51.3% | 142,896 tonnes | 216,176 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 152,422 tonnes | 25,648 tonnes | 293,120 tonnes | 5 |
| 1960s | 1.13 million tonnes | 373,728 tonnes | 2.16 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1970s | 4.39 million tonnes | 2.73 million tonnes | 5.61 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.61 million tonnes | 5.80 million tonnes | 7.54 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 10.94 million tonnes | 8.05 million tonnes | 14.31 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 21.39 million tonnes | 15.27 million tonnes | 29.73 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 66.72 million tonnes | 32.73 million tonnes | 131.77 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 195.61 million tonnes | 150.06 million tonnes | 243.01 million tonnes | 5 |
Countries ranked near Laos
- 120 Costa Rica 285.80 million tonnes compare
- 121 El Salvador 264.57 million tonnes compare
- 122 Cambodia 251.61 million tonnes compare
- 124 Afghanistan 242.63 million tonnes compare
- 125 Democratic Republic of Congo 238.70 million tonnes compare
- 126 Nepal 232.10 million tonnes compare
More climate change data for Laos
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 11,464 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 2,980 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 8,484 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 11.25 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 303.01 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 2,806 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 581.36 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 2,224 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 2.19 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 79.45 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is cumulative co₂ emissions in Laos?
- Cumulative co₂ emissions in Laos was 243.01 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 Laos?
- The highest recorded value was 243.01 million tonnes in 2024.
- What is the lowest cumulative co₂ emissions recorded in Laos?
- The lowest recorded value was 25,648 tonnes in 1955.
- How does Laos rank for cumulative co₂ emissions?
- Laos ranks 123rd out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is cumulative co₂ emissions rising or falling in Laos?
- Over the last ten years it is up 409.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Laos 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 — 70 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.