Cumulative CO₂ emissions from coal in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Cumulative CO₂ emissions from coal was 6.75 million tonnes in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Cumulative CO₂ emissions from coal in Saudi Arabia, 1936–2024
Source: Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
Saudi Arabia recorded 6.75 million tonnes for cumulative co₂ emissions from coal in 2024. That is the highest value across all 59 years on record.
The figure is up 11.6% on the previous year and up 253.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, cumulative co₂ emissions from coal in Saudi Arabia peaked at 6.75 million tonnes in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0 tonnes, in 1936.
Saudi Arabia ranks 117th 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 Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1936 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1937 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1938 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1939 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1940 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1941 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1942 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1943 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1944 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1945 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1946 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1947 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1948 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1949 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1980 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1981 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1982 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1983 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1984 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1985 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1986 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1987 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1988 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1989 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1990 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1991 | 24,370 tonnes | — |
| 1992 | 31,325 tonnes | +28.5% |
| 1993 | 83,016 tonnes | +165.0% |
| 1994 | 150,576 tonnes | +81.4% |
| 1995 | 200,167 tonnes | +32.9% |
| 1996 | 246,514 tonnes | +23.2% |
| 1997 | 307,153 tonnes | +24.6% |
| 1998 | 382,084 tonnes | +24.4% |
| 1999 | 441,344 tonnes | +15.5% |
| 2000 | 442,784 tonnes | +0.3% |
| 2001 | 447,902 tonnes | +1.2% |
| 2002 | 476,211 tonnes | +6.3% |
| 2003 | 504,877 tonnes | +6.0% |
| 2004 | 540,809 tonnes | +7.1% |
| 2005 | 611,156 tonnes | +13.0% |
| 2006 | 649,192 tonnes | +6.2% |
| 2007 | 703,982 tonnes | +8.4% |
| 2008 | 812,281 tonnes | +15.4% |
| 2009 | 879,651 tonnes | +8.3% |
| 2010 | 1.05 million tonnes | +19.3% |
| 2011 | 1.22 million tonnes | +16.2% |
| 2012 | 1.41 million tonnes | +15.8% |
| 2013 | 1.65 million tonnes | +16.9% |
| 2014 | 1.91 million tonnes | +15.6% |
| 2015 | 2.17 million tonnes | +13.6% |
| 2016 | 2.50 million tonnes | +15.2% |
| 2017 | 3.02 million tonnes | +20.8% |
| 2018 | 3.48 million tonnes | +15.3% |
| 2019 | 3.96 million tonnes | +13.9% |
| 2020 | 4.39 million tonnes | +10.7% |
| 2021 | 4.90 million tonnes | +11.8% |
| 2022 | 5.41 million tonnes | +10.4% |
| 2023 | 6.04 million tonnes | +11.6% |
| 2024 | 6.75 million tonnes | +11.6% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 6.75 million tonnes is below the median for high income countries, which is 374.74 million tonnes, 2% of the median. (68 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 6.75 million tonnes is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 11.30 million tonnes, 60% of the median. (21 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Cumulative CO₂ emissions from coal 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | +165.0% | 31,325 tonnes | 83,016 tonnes |
| 1994 | +81.4% | 83,016 tonnes | 150,576 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1930s | 0 tonnes | 0 tonnes | 0 tonnes | 4 |
| 1940s | 0 tonnes | 0 tonnes | 0 tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 0 tonnes | 0 tonnes | 0 tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 186,655 tonnes | 0 tonnes | 441,344 tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 606,884 tonnes | 442,784 tonnes | 879,651 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.24 million tonnes | 1.05 million tonnes | 3.96 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.50 million tonnes | 4.39 million tonnes | 6.75 million 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 from coal in Saudi Arabia?
- Cumulative co₂ emissions from coal in Saudi Arabia was 6.75 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 Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 6.75 million tonnes in 2024.
- What is the lowest cumulative co₂ emissions from coal recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 tonnes in 1936.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for cumulative co₂ emissions from coal?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 117th out of 179 countries with data for 2024.
- Is cumulative co₂ emissions from coal rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 253.6%. 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 from coal. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 59 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.