Cumulative CO₂ emissions from flaring in China
China: Cumulative CO₂ emissions from flaring was 166.84 million tonnes in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Cumulative CO₂ emissions from flaring in China, 1971–2024
Source: Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
China recorded 166.84 million tonnes for cumulative co₂ emissions from flaring in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.5% on the previous year and up 31.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, cumulative co₂ emissions from flaring in China peaked at 166.84 million tonnes in 2024 and was at its lowest, 791,421 tonnes, in 1971.
China ranks 28th of 215 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Cumulative CO₂ emissions from flaring in China, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 791,421 tonnes | — |
| 1972 | 1.81 million tonnes | +129.2% |
| 1973 | 3.08 million tonnes | +69.7% |
| 1974 | 4.71 million tonnes | +53.1% |
| 1975 | 6.62 million tonnes | +40.4% |
| 1976 | 8.52 million tonnes | +28.8% |
| 1977 | 10.70 million tonnes | +25.6% |
| 1978 | 13.44 million tonnes | +25.6% |
| 1979 | 16.50 million tonnes | +22.8% |
| 1980 | 19.51 million tonnes | +18.3% |
| 1981 | 22.20 million tonnes | +13.8% |
| 1982 | 24.73 million tonnes | +11.4% |
| 1983 | 27.40 million tonnes | +10.8% |
| 1984 | 30.61 million tonnes | +11.7% |
| 1994 | 34.35 million tonnes | +12.2% |
| 1995 | 38.08 million tonnes | +10.9% |
| 1996 | 43.66 million tonnes | +14.7% |
| 1997 | 49.09 million tonnes | +12.4% |
| 1998 | 53.22 million tonnes | +8.4% |
| 1999 | 57.65 million tonnes | +8.3% |
| 2000 | 62.39 million tonnes | +8.2% |
| 2001 | 67.17 million tonnes | +7.7% |
| 2002 | 71.66 million tonnes | +6.7% |
| 2003 | 76.84 million tonnes | +7.2% |
| 2004 | 82.03 million tonnes | +6.8% |
| 2005 | 87.62 million tonnes | +6.8% |
| 2006 | 93.15 million tonnes | +6.3% |
| 2007 | 98.11 million tonnes | +5.3% |
| 2008 | 102.78 million tonnes | +4.8% |
| 2009 | 107.34 million tonnes | +4.4% |
| 2010 | 111.31 million tonnes | +3.7% |
| 2011 | 115.17 million tonnes | +3.5% |
| 2012 | 118.90 million tonnes | +3.2% |
| 2013 | 122.53 million tonnes | +3.1% |
| 2014 | 126.46 million tonnes | +3.2% |
| 2015 | 130.36 million tonnes | +3.1% |
| 2016 | 133.45 million tonnes | +2.4% |
| 2017 | 136.42 million tonnes | +2.2% |
| 2018 | 139.83 million tonnes | +2.5% |
| 2019 | 143.67 million tonnes | +2.7% |
| 2020 | 148.84 million tonnes | +3.6% |
| 2021 | 153.65 million tonnes | +3.2% |
| 2022 | 158.33 million tonnes | +3.0% |
| 2023 | 162.82 million tonnes | +2.8% |
| 2024 | 166.84 million tonnes | +2.5% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 166.84 million tonnes is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.09 million tonnes, 153.1× the median. (58 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Cumulative CO₂ emissions from flaring in China 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | +129.2% | 791,421 tonnes | 1.81 million tonnes |
| 1973 | +69.7% | 1.81 million tonnes | 3.08 million tonnes |
| 1974 | +53.1% | 3.08 million tonnes | 4.71 million tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 7.35 million tonnes | 791,421 tonnes | 16.50 million tonnes | 9 |
| 1980s | 24.89 million tonnes | 19.51 million tonnes | 30.61 million tonnes | 5 |
| 1990s | 46.01 million tonnes | 34.35 million tonnes | 57.65 million tonnes | 6 |
| 2000s | 84.91 million tonnes | 62.39 million tonnes | 107.34 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 127.81 million tonnes | 111.31 million tonnes | 143.67 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 158.10 million tonnes | 148.84 million tonnes | 166.84 million tonnes | 5 |
Countries ranked near China
More climate change data for China
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 31.25 billion kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 604,831 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 191,478 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 413,353 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 722.56 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 14,763 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 342,069 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 200,605 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 141,464 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 757 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is cumulative co₂ emissions from flaring in China?
- Cumulative co₂ emissions from flaring in China was 166.84 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 from flaring recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 166.84 million tonnes in 2024.
- What is the lowest cumulative co₂ emissions from flaring recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 791,421 tonnes in 1971.
- How does China rank for cumulative co₂ emissions from flaring?
- China ranks 28th out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is cumulative co₂ emissions from flaring rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 31.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China 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 flaring. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 45 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Cumulative emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂) from flaring since the first year of available data, measured in tonnes.