Cumulative CO₂ emissions from coal in Iceland
Iceland: Cumulative CO₂ emissions from coal was 25.47 million tonnes in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
25.47 million tonnes
Change on year
up 3.5%
World rank
101st
of 179 countries
All-time high
25.47 million tonnes
in 2024
All-time low
21,984 tonnes
in 1936
Years of data
87
1936–2024
Cumulative CO₂ emissions from coal in Iceland, 1936–2024
Source: Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
Iceland recorded 25.47 million tonnes for cumulative co₂ emissions from coal in 2024. That is the highest value across all 87 years on record.
That represents a change of up 3.5% on the previous year and up 38.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, cumulative co₂ emissions from coal in Iceland peaked at 25.47 million tonnes in 2024 and was at its lowest, 21,984 tonnes, in 1936.
Iceland ranks 101st of 179 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 from coal in Iceland, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1936 | 21,984 tonnes | — |
| 1937 | 40,304 tonnes | +83.3% |
| 1940 | 397,981 tonnes | +887.4% |
| 1941 | 733,094 tonnes | +84.2% |
| 1942 | 1.07 million tonnes | +46.5% |
| 1943 | 1.44 million tonnes | +34.4% |
| 1944 | 1.80 million tonnes | +24.4% |
| 1945 | 2.11 million tonnes | +17.4% |
| 1946 | 2.44 million tonnes | +15.6% |
| 1947 | 2.77 million tonnes | +13.7% |
| 1948 | 3.11 million tonnes | +12.1% |
| 1949 | 3.38 million tonnes | +8.9% |
| 1950 | 3.62 million tonnes | +6.8% |
| 1951 | 3.78 million tonnes | +4.6% |
| 1952 | 3.93 million tonnes | +3.9% |
| 1953 | 4.04 million tonnes | +3.0% |
| 1954 | 4.15 million tonnes | +2.6% |
| 1955 | 4.30 million tonnes | +3.6% |
| 1956 | 4.41 million tonnes | +2.6% |
| 1957 | 4.49 million tonnes | +1.9% |
| 1958 | 4.57 million tonnes | +1.8% |
| 1959 | 4.65 million tonnes | +1.6% |
| 1960 | 4.71 million tonnes | +1.3% |
| 1961 | 4.75 million tonnes | +0.9% |
| 1962 | 4.79 million tonnes | +0.9% |
| 1963 | 4.82 million tonnes | +0.6% |
| 1964 | 4.86 million tonnes | +0.7% |
| 1965 | 4.88 million tonnes | +0.4% |
| 1966 | 4.89 million tonnes | +0.3% |
| 1967 | 4.90 million tonnes | +0.2% |
| 1968 | 4.91 million tonnes | +0.2% |
| 1969 | 4.92 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1970 | 4.92 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1971 | 4.92 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1972 | 4.93 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1973 | 4.93 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1974 | 4.93 million tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 4.93 million tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 4.93 million tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 4.93 million tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 4.93 million tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 4.98 million tonnes | +1.0% |
| 1980 | 5.05 million tonnes | +1.3% |
| 1981 | 5.16 million tonnes | +2.2% |
| 1982 | 5.27 million tonnes | +2.2% |
| 1983 | 5.44 million tonnes | +3.1% |
| 1984 | 5.67 million tonnes | +4.2% |
| 1985 | 5.91 million tonnes | +4.3% |
| 1986 | 6.19 million tonnes | +4.6% |
| 1987 | 6.41 million tonnes | +3.6% |
| 1988 | 6.63 million tonnes | +3.5% |
| 1989 | 6.87 million tonnes | +3.5% |
| 1990 | 7.15 million tonnes | +4.1% |
| 1991 | 7.39 million tonnes | +3.4% |
| 1992 | 7.64 million tonnes | +3.3% |
| 1993 | 7.94 million tonnes | +3.9% |
| 1994 | 8.23 million tonnes | +3.7% |
| 1995 | 8.52 million tonnes | +3.6% |
| 1996 | 8.81 million tonnes | +3.3% |
| 1997 | 9.13 million tonnes | +3.6% |
| 1998 | 9.41 million tonnes | +3.1% |
| 1999 | 9.77 million tonnes | +3.8% |
| 2000 | 10.23 million tonnes | +4.8% |
| 2001 | 10.74 million tonnes | +4.9% |
| 2002 | 11.25 million tonnes | +4.8% |
| 2003 | 11.76 million tonnes | +4.5% |
| 2004 | 12.28 million tonnes | +4.5% |
| 2005 | 12.77 million tonnes | +3.9% |
| 2006 | 13.28 million tonnes | +4.0% |
| 2007 | 13.88 million tonnes | +4.5% |
| 2008 | 14.52 million tonnes | +4.6% |
| 2009 | 15.14 million tonnes | +4.3% |
| 2010 | 15.77 million tonnes | +4.1% |
| 2011 | 16.41 million tonnes | +4.1% |
| 2012 | 17.07 million tonnes | +4.0% |
| 2013 | 17.73 million tonnes | +3.9% |
| 2014 | 18.35 million tonnes | +3.5% |
| 2015 | 19.01 million tonnes | +3.6% |
| 2016 | 19.67 million tonnes | +3.5% |
| 2017 | 20.37 million tonnes | +3.5% |
| 2018 | 21.08 million tonnes | +3.5% |
| 2019 | 21.77 million tonnes | +3.2% |
| 2020 | 22.43 million tonnes | +3.1% |
| 2021 | 23.16 million tonnes | +3.2% |
| 2022 | 23.93 million tonnes | +3.3% |
| 2023 | 24.60 million tonnes | +2.8% |
| 2024 | 25.47 million tonnes | +3.5% |
Iceland compared with similar countries
- Iceland's 25.47 million tonnes is below the median for high income countries, which is 374.74 million tonnes, 7% of the median. (68 countries reporting)
- Iceland's 25.47 million tonnes is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 736.72 million tonnes, 3% of the median. (52 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Cumulative CO₂ emissions from coal in Iceland 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1940 | +887.4% | 40,304 tonnes | 397,981 tonnes |
| 1941 | +84.2% | 397,981 tonnes | 733,094 tonnes |
| 1937 | +83.3% | 21,984 tonnes | 40,304 tonnes |
| 1942 | +46.5% | 733,094 tonnes | 1.07 million tonnes |
| 1943 | +34.4% | 1.07 million tonnes | 1.44 million tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1930s | 31,144 tonnes | 21,984 tonnes | 40,304 tonnes | 2 |
| 1940s | 1.93 million tonnes | 397,981 tonnes | 3.38 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1950s | 4.19 million tonnes | 3.62 million tonnes | 4.65 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1960s | 4.84 million tonnes | 4.71 million tonnes | 4.92 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1970s | 4.93 million tonnes | 4.92 million tonnes | 4.98 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.86 million tonnes | 5.05 million tonnes | 6.87 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 8.40 million tonnes | 7.15 million tonnes | 9.77 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 12.59 million tonnes | 10.23 million tonnes | 15.14 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 18.72 million tonnes | 15.77 million tonnes | 21.77 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 23.92 million tonnes | 22.43 million tonnes | 25.47 million tonnes | 5 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
More climate change data for Iceland
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 16.80 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 462.45 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 110.24 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 352.21 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 0.416 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 12.58 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 92.86 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 92.86 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 0.3504 kt (2050)
- Synthetic Fertilizers — Emissions (CO2eq) 92.72 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is cumulative co₂ emissions from coal in Iceland?
- Cumulative co₂ emissions from coal in Iceland was 25.47 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 from coal recorded in Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 25.47 million tonnes in 2024.
- What is the lowest cumulative co₂ emissions from coal recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 21,984 tonnes in 1936.
- How does Iceland rank for cumulative co₂ emissions from coal?
- Iceland ranks 101st out of 179 countries with data for 2024.
- Is cumulative co₂ emissions from coal rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 38.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Iceland 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 from coal. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 87 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Cumulative emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂) from coal since the first year of available data, measured in tonnes.