Cumulative CO₂ emissions in Zambia
Zambia: Cumulative CO₂ emissions was 300.84 million tonnes in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
300.84 million tonnes
Change on year
up 4.2%
World rank
118th
of 215 countries
All-time high
300.84 million tonnes
in 2024
All-time low
2.33 million tonnes
in 1950
Years of data
75
1950–2024
Cumulative CO₂ emissions in Zambia, 1950–2024
Source: Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
In 2024, cumulative co₂ emissions in Zambia stood at 300.84 million tonnes. That is the highest value across all 75 years on record.
The figure is up 4.2% on the previous year and up 43.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, cumulative co₂ emissions in Zambia peaked at 300.84 million tonnes in 2024 and was at its lowest, 2.33 million tonnes, in 1950.
That places Zambia 118th 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 Zambia, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 2.33 million tonnes | — |
| 1951 | 4.90 million tonnes | +110.3% |
| 1952 | 7.79 million tonnes | +59.0% |
| 1953 | 10.94 million tonnes | +40.4% |
| 1954 | 14.40 million tonnes | +31.7% |
| 1955 | 18.49 million tonnes | +28.4% |
| 1956 | 22.94 million tonnes | +24.1% |
| 1957 | 27.53 million tonnes | +20.0% |
| 1958 | 31.62 million tonnes | +14.9% |
| 1959 | 36.19 million tonnes | +14.4% |
| 1960 | 40.54 million tonnes | +12.0% |
| 1961 | 44.25 million tonnes | +9.1% |
| 1962 | 47.84 million tonnes | +8.1% |
| 1963 | 51.28 million tonnes | +7.2% |
| 1964 | 54.56 million tonnes | +6.4% |
| 1965 | 58.47 million tonnes | +7.2% |
| 1966 | 61.97 million tonnes | +6.0% |
| 1967 | 66.75 million tonnes | +7.7% |
| 1968 | 71.32 million tonnes | +6.8% |
| 1969 | 75.59 million tonnes | +6.0% |
| 1970 | 79.36 million tonnes | +5.0% |
| 1971 | 83.15 million tonnes | +4.8% |
| 1972 | 87.21 million tonnes | +4.9% |
| 1973 | 91.80 million tonnes | +5.3% |
| 1974 | 95.99 million tonnes | +4.6% |
| 1975 | 100.07 million tonnes | +4.2% |
| 1976 | 104.09 million tonnes | +4.0% |
| 1977 | 107.82 million tonnes | +3.6% |
| 1978 | 111.29 million tonnes | +3.2% |
| 1979 | 114.89 million tonnes | +3.2% |
| 1980 | 118.41 million tonnes | +3.1% |
| 1981 | 121.77 million tonnes | +2.8% |
| 1982 | 125.28 million tonnes | +2.9% |
| 1983 | 128.54 million tonnes | +2.6% |
| 1984 | 131.35 million tonnes | +2.2% |
| 1985 | 134.08 million tonnes | +2.1% |
| 1986 | 136.95 million tonnes | +2.1% |
| 1987 | 139.62 million tonnes | +2.0% |
| 1988 | 142.73 million tonnes | +2.2% |
| 1989 | 145.30 million tonnes | +1.8% |
| 1990 | 147.71 million tonnes | +1.7% |
| 1991 | 150.09 million tonnes | +1.6% |
| 1992 | 152.51 million tonnes | +1.6% |
| 1993 | 154.98 million tonnes | +1.6% |
| 1994 | 157.37 million tonnes | +1.5% |
| 1995 | 159.51 million tonnes | +1.4% |
| 1996 | 161.35 million tonnes | +1.2% |
| 1997 | 163.71 million tonnes | +1.5% |
| 1998 | 165.98 million tonnes | +1.4% |
| 1999 | 167.76 million tonnes | +1.1% |
| 2000 | 169.55 million tonnes | +1.1% |
| 2001 | 171.43 million tonnes | +1.1% |
| 2002 | 173.39 million tonnes | +1.1% |
| 2003 | 175.47 million tonnes | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 177.57 million tonnes | +1.2% |
| 2005 | 179.81 million tonnes | +1.3% |
| 2006 | 182.04 million tonnes | +1.2% |
| 2007 | 184.34 million tonnes | +1.3% |
| 2008 | 186.90 million tonnes | +1.4% |
| 2009 | 189.84 million tonnes | +1.6% |
| 2010 | 192.96 million tonnes | +1.6% |
| 2011 | 196.34 million tonnes | +1.8% |
| 2012 | 200.51 million tonnes | +2.1% |
| 2013 | 204.94 million tonnes | +2.2% |
| 2014 | 210.22 million tonnes | +2.6% |
| 2015 | 215.74 million tonnes | +2.6% |
| 2016 | 221.72 million tonnes | +2.8% |
| 2017 | 229.18 million tonnes | +3.4% |
| 2018 | 237.84 million tonnes | +3.8% |
| 2019 | 246.69 million tonnes | +3.7% |
| 2020 | 256.68 million tonnes | +4.1% |
| 2021 | 266.03 million tonnes | +3.6% |
| 2022 | 276.96 million tonnes | +4.1% |
| 2023 | 288.80 million tonnes | +4.3% |
| 2024 | 300.84 million tonnes | +4.2% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 300.84 million tonnes is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 300.60 million tonnes, 1.0× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 300.84 million tonnes is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 103.07 million tonnes, 2.9× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Cumulative CO₂ emissions in Zambia 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 | +110.3% | 2.33 million tonnes | 4.90 million tonnes |
| 1952 | +59.0% | 4.90 million tonnes | 7.79 million tonnes |
| 1953 | +40.4% | 7.79 million tonnes | 10.94 million tonnes |
| 1954 | +31.7% | 10.94 million tonnes | 14.40 million tonnes |
| 1955 | +28.4% | 14.40 million tonnes | 18.49 million tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 17.71 million tonnes | 2.33 million tonnes | 36.19 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1960s | 57.26 million tonnes | 40.54 million tonnes | 75.59 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1970s | 97.57 million tonnes | 79.36 million tonnes | 114.89 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 132.40 million tonnes | 118.41 million tonnes | 145.30 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 158.10 million tonnes | 147.71 million tonnes | 167.76 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 179.03 million tonnes | 169.55 million tonnes | 189.84 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 215.61 million tonnes | 192.96 million tonnes | 246.69 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 277.86 million tonnes | 256.68 million tonnes | 300.84 million tonnes | 5 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More climate change data for Zambia
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 303.19 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 7,547 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 2,795 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 4,752 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 10.55 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 169.71 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 2,153 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 2,033 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 120.21 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 7.67 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is cumulative co₂ emissions in Zambia?
- Cumulative co₂ emissions in Zambia was 300.84 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 Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 300.84 million tonnes in 2024.
- What is the lowest cumulative co₂ emissions recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.33 million tonnes in 1950.
- How does Zambia rank for cumulative co₂ emissions?
- Zambia ranks 118th out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is cumulative co₂ emissions rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 43.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Zambia 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.