Cumulative CO₂ emissions from flaring in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Cumulative CO₂ emissions from flaring was 300.43 million tonnes in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
300.43 million tonnes
Change on year
up 1.2%
World rank
18th
of 215 countries
All-time high
300.43 million tonnes
in 2024
All-time low
0 tonnes
in 1950
Years of data
75
1950–2024
Cumulative CO₂ emissions from flaring in United Kingdom, 1950–2024
Source: Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
In 2024, cumulative co₂ emissions from flaring in United Kingdom stood at 300.43 million tonnes. That is the highest value across all 75 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.2% on the previous year and up 15.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, cumulative co₂ emissions from flaring in United Kingdom peaked at 300.43 million tonnes in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0 tonnes, in 1950.
That places United Kingdom 18th out of 215 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Cumulative CO₂ emissions from flaring in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1951 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1952 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1953 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1954 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1955 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1956 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1957 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1958 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1959 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1960 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1961 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1962 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1963 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1964 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1965 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1966 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1967 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1968 | 245,489 tonnes | — |
| 1969 | 1.73 million tonnes | +603.0% |
| 1970 | 4.68 million tonnes | +171.3% |
| 1971 | 8.13 million tonnes | +73.7% |
| 1972 | 12.08 million tonnes | +48.5% |
| 1973 | 17.00 million tonnes | +40.8% |
| 1974 | 22.43 million tonnes | +31.9% |
| 1975 | 28.34 million tonnes | +26.4% |
| 1976 | 34.25 million tonnes | +20.9% |
| 1977 | 40.63 million tonnes | +18.6% |
| 1978 | 49.22 million tonnes | +21.2% |
| 1979 | 61.71 million tonnes | +25.4% |
| 1980 | 69.74 million tonnes | +13.0% |
| 1981 | 77.72 million tonnes | +11.4% |
| 1982 | 85.22 million tonnes | +9.7% |
| 1983 | 92.38 million tonnes | +8.4% |
| 1984 | 98.84 million tonnes | +7.0% |
| 1985 | 103.87 million tonnes | +5.1% |
| 1986 | 107.71 million tonnes | +3.7% |
| 1987 | 111.75 million tonnes | +3.7% |
| 1988 | 111.75 million tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 111.75 million tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 118.53 million tonnes | +6.1% |
| 1991 | 124.80 million tonnes | +5.3% |
| 1992 | 131.24 million tonnes | +5.2% |
| 1993 | 137.88 million tonnes | +5.1% |
| 1994 | 145.30 million tonnes | +5.4% |
| 1995 | 153.64 million tonnes | +5.7% |
| 1996 | 162.35 million tonnes | +5.7% |
| 1997 | 169.56 million tonnes | +4.4% |
| 1998 | 177.01 million tonnes | +4.4% |
| 1999 | 183.18 million tonnes | +3.5% |
| 2000 | 189.62 million tonnes | +3.5% |
| 2001 | 196.12 million tonnes | +3.4% |
| 2002 | 202.30 million tonnes | +3.2% |
| 2003 | 207.86 million tonnes | +2.7% |
| 2004 | 213.48 million tonnes | +2.7% |
| 2005 | 219.47 million tonnes | +2.8% |
| 2006 | 224.74 million tonnes | +2.4% |
| 2007 | 230.16 million tonnes | +2.4% |
| 2008 | 234.91 million tonnes | +2.1% |
| 2009 | 239.79 million tonnes | +2.1% |
| 2010 | 244.53 million tonnes | +2.0% |
| 2011 | 248.98 million tonnes | +1.8% |
| 2012 | 252.63 million tonnes | +1.5% |
| 2013 | 256.84 million tonnes | +1.7% |
| 2014 | 261.28 million tonnes | +1.7% |
| 2015 | 265.92 million tonnes | +1.8% |
| 2016 | 270.48 million tonnes | +1.7% |
| 2017 | 274.78 million tonnes | +1.6% |
| 2018 | 279.25 million tonnes | +1.6% |
| 2019 | 283.54 million tonnes | +1.5% |
| 2020 | 286.98 million tonnes | +1.2% |
| 2021 | 290.49 million tonnes | +1.2% |
| 2022 | 293.68 million tonnes | +1.1% |
| 2023 | 297.01 million tonnes | +1.1% |
| 2024 | 300.43 million tonnes | +1.2% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 300.43 million tonnes is above the median for high income countries, which is 2.74 million tonnes, 109.5× the median. (74 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 300.43 million tonnes is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 5.26 million tonnes, 57.1× the median. (52 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Cumulative CO₂ emissions from flaring in United Kingdom 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | +603.0% | 245,489 tonnes | 1.73 million tonnes |
| 1970 | +171.3% | 1.73 million tonnes | 4.68 million tonnes |
| 1971 | +73.7% | 4.68 million tonnes | 8.13 million tonnes |
| 1972 | +48.5% | 8.13 million tonnes | 12.08 million tonnes |
| 1973 | +40.8% | 12.08 million tonnes | 17.00 million tonnes |
| 1974 | +31.9% | 17.00 million tonnes | 22.43 million tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 0 tonnes | 0 tonnes | 0 tonnes | 10 |
| 1960s | 197,123 tonnes | 0 tonnes | 1.73 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1970s | 27.85 million tonnes | 4.68 million tonnes | 61.71 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 97.07 million tonnes | 69.74 million tonnes | 111.75 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 150.35 million tonnes | 118.53 million tonnes | 183.18 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 215.84 million tonnes | 189.62 million tonnes | 239.79 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 263.82 million tonnes | 244.53 million tonnes | 283.54 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 293.72 million tonnes | 286.98 million tonnes | 300.43 million tonnes | 5 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More climate change data for United Kingdom
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 37,706 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 8,697 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 29,008 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 32.82 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 1,036 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 7,083 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 7,027 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 55.89 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 26.52 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 2 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is cumulative co₂ emissions from flaring in United Kingdom?
- Cumulative co₂ emissions from flaring in United Kingdom was 300.43 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 United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 300.43 million tonnes in 2024.
- What is the lowest cumulative co₂ emissions from flaring recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 tonnes in 1950.
- How does United Kingdom rank for cumulative co₂ emissions from flaring?
- United Kingdom ranks 18th out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is cumulative co₂ emissions from flaring rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United Kingdom 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 — 75 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.