Cumulative CO₂ emissions in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Cumulative CO₂ emissions was 19.02 billion tonnes in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
19.02 billion tonnes
Change on year
up 3.8%
World rank
18th
of 215 countries
All-time high
19.02 billion tonnes
in 2024
All-time low
7,328 tonnes
in 1936
Years of data
89
1936–2024
Cumulative CO₂ emissions in Saudi Arabia, 1936–2024
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 Saudi Arabia is 19.02 billion tonnes, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 89 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.8% on the previous year and up 53.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, cumulative co₂ emissions in Saudi Arabia peaked at 19.02 billion tonnes in 2024 and was at its lowest, 7,328 tonnes, in 1936.
Saudi Arabia ranks 18th of 215 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Cumulative CO₂ emissions in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1936 | 7,328 tonnes | — |
| 1937 | 32,976 tonnes | +350.0% |
| 1938 | 238,160 tonnes | +622.2% |
| 1939 | 1.89 million tonnes | +693.8% |
| 1940 | 4.04 million tonnes | +113.6% |
| 1941 | 5.85 million tonnes | +44.8% |
| 1942 | 7.75 million tonnes | +32.5% |
| 1943 | 9.74 million tonnes | +25.7% |
| 1944 | 13.00 million tonnes | +33.5% |
| 1945 | 21.82 million tonnes | +67.8% |
| 1946 | 46.97 million tonnes | +115.3% |
| 1947 | 84.70 million tonnes | +80.3% |
| 1948 | 102.64 million tonnes | +21.2% |
| 1949 | 121.03 million tonnes | +17.9% |
| 1950 | 126.17 million tonnes | +4.2% |
| 1951 | 126.17 million tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 126.17 million tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 126.65 million tonnes | +0.4% |
| 1954 | 127.89 million tonnes | +1.0% |
| 1955 | 130.00 million tonnes | +1.7% |
| 1956 | 131.63 million tonnes | +1.3% |
| 1957 | 133.73 million tonnes | +1.6% |
| 1958 | 135.73 million tonnes | +1.5% |
| 1959 | 137.58 million tonnes | +1.4% |
| 1960 | 140.25 million tonnes | +1.9% |
| 1961 | 143.82 million tonnes | +2.5% |
| 1962 | 150.07 million tonnes | +4.3% |
| 1963 | 157.01 million tonnes | +4.6% |
| 1964 | 164.05 million tonnes | +4.5% |
| 1965 | 168.27 million tonnes | +2.6% |
| 1966 | 174.68 million tonnes | +3.8% |
| 1967 | 200.16 million tonnes | +14.6% |
| 1968 | 229.24 million tonnes | +14.5% |
| 1969 | 264.51 million tonnes | +15.4% |
| 1970 | 309.76 million tonnes | +17.1% |
| 1971 | 369.52 million tonnes | +19.3% |
| 1972 | 439.80 million tonnes | +19.0% |
| 1973 | 534.85 million tonnes | +21.6% |
| 1974 | 633.55 million tonnes | +18.5% |
| 1975 | 716.81 million tonnes | +13.1% |
| 1976 | 818.27 million tonnes | +14.2% |
| 1977 | 936.34 million tonnes | +14.4% |
| 1978 | 1.05 billion tonnes | +12.3% |
| 1979 | 1.19 billion tonnes | +13.1% |
| 1980 | 1.36 billion tonnes | +14.2% |
| 1981 | 1.53 billion tonnes | +12.9% |
| 1982 | 1.69 billion tonnes | +10.3% |
| 1983 | 1.85 billion tonnes | +9.5% |
| 1984 | 2.01 billion tonnes | +8.4% |
| 1985 | 2.18 billion tonnes | +8.6% |
| 1986 | 2.39 billion tonnes | +9.4% |
| 1987 | 2.58 billion tonnes | +8.0% |
| 1988 | 2.78 billion tonnes | +7.9% |
| 1989 | 2.98 billion tonnes | +7.3% |
| 1990 | 3.16 billion tonnes | +6.1% |
| 1991 | 3.41 billion tonnes | +7.7% |
| 1992 | 3.68 billion tonnes | +8.1% |
| 1993 | 3.98 billion tonnes | +8.1% |
| 1994 | 4.27 billion tonnes | +7.3% |
| 1995 | 4.55 billion tonnes | +6.4% |
| 1996 | 4.82 billion tonnes | +5.9% |
| 1997 | 5.04 billion tonnes | +4.7% |
| 1998 | 5.26 billion tonnes | +4.3% |
| 1999 | 5.50 billion tonnes | +4.5% |
| 2000 | 5.81 billion tonnes | +5.6% |
| 2001 | 6.13 billion tonnes | +5.6% |
| 2002 | 6.48 billion tonnes | +5.7% |
| 2003 | 6.83 billion tonnes | +5.4% |
| 2004 | 7.24 billion tonnes | +6.0% |
| 2005 | 7.65 billion tonnes | +5.7% |
| 2006 | 8.10 billion tonnes | +5.8% |
| 2007 | 8.52 billion tonnes | +5.2% |
| 2008 | 8.99 billion tonnes | +5.5% |
| 2009 | 9.49 billion tonnes | +5.6% |
| 2010 | 10.05 billion tonnes | +5.9% |
| 2011 | 10.59 billion tonnes | +5.4% |
| 2012 | 11.20 billion tonnes | +5.7% |
| 2013 | 11.78 billion tonnes | +5.2% |
| 2014 | 12.36 billion tonnes | +5.0% |
| 2015 | 12.99 billion tonnes | +5.1% |
| 2016 | 13.63 billion tonnes | +4.9% |
| 2017 | 14.27 billion tonnes | +4.7% |
| 2018 | 14.93 billion tonnes | +4.6% |
| 2019 | 15.63 billion tonnes | +4.7% |
| 2020 | 16.29 billion tonnes | +4.2% |
| 2021 | 16.98 billion tonnes | +4.3% |
| 2022 | 17.65 billion tonnes | +3.9% |
| 2023 | 18.33 billion tonnes | +3.8% |
| 2024 | 19.02 billion tonnes | +3.8% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 19.02 billion tonnes is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.73 billion tonnes, 11.0× the median. (74 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 19.02 billion tonnes is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 2.06 billion tonnes, 9.3× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Cumulative CO₂ emissions in Saudi Arabia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1939 | +693.8% | 238,160 tonnes | 1.89 million tonnes |
| 1938 | +622.2% | 32,976 tonnes | 238,160 tonnes |
| 1937 | +350.0% | 7,328 tonnes | 32,976 tonnes |
| 1946 | +115.3% | 21.82 million tonnes | 46.97 million tonnes |
| 1940 | +113.6% | 1.89 million tonnes | 4.04 million tonnes |
| 1947 | +80.3% | 46.97 million tonnes | 84.70 million tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1930s | 542,271 tonnes | 7,328 tonnes | 1.89 million tonnes | 4 |
| 1940s | 41.75 million tonnes | 4.04 million tonnes | 121.03 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1950s | 130.17 million tonnes | 126.17 million tonnes | 137.58 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1960s | 179.21 million tonnes | 140.25 million tonnes | 264.51 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1970s | 699.96 million tonnes | 309.76 million tonnes | 1.19 billion tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.13 billion tonnes | 1.36 billion tonnes | 2.98 billion tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.37 billion tonnes | 3.16 billion tonnes | 5.50 billion tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.53 billion tonnes | 5.81 billion tonnes | 9.49 billion tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.74 billion tonnes | 10.05 billion tonnes | 15.63 billion tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.65 billion tonnes | 16.29 billion tonnes | 19.02 billion tonnes | 5 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
More climate change data for Saudi Arabia
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 134.54 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 4,043 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 1,830 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 2,213 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 6.91 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 79.03 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 1,017 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 1,002 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 15.05 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 3.78 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is cumulative co₂ emissions in Saudi Arabia?
- Cumulative co₂ emissions in Saudi Arabia was 19.02 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 Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 19.02 billion tonnes in 2024.
- What is the lowest cumulative co₂ emissions recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 7,328 tonnes in 1936.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for cumulative co₂ emissions?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 18th out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is cumulative co₂ emissions rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 53.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia 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 — 89 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.