Cumulative CO₂ emissions by source in China
China: Cumulative CO₂ emissions by source was 5.52 billion tonnes in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Cumulative CO₂ emissions by source in China, 1960–2024
Source: Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
China recorded 5.52 billion tonnes for cumulative co₂ emissions by source in 2024. That is the highest value across all 65 years on record.
The figure is up 3.5% on the previous year and up 49.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, cumulative co₂ emissions by source in China peaked at 5.52 billion tonnes in 2024 and was at its lowest, 18.93 million tonnes, in 1960.
China ranks 1st of 46 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 121.21 million tonnes | 18.93 million tonnes | 234.09 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1970s | 424.59 million tonnes | 265.31 million tonnes | 590.42 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 821.79 million tonnes | 626.01 million tonnes | 1.09 billion tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.53 billion tonnes | 1.15 billion tonnes | 1.93 billion tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.46 billion tonnes | 2.02 billion tonnes | 2.97 billion tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.79 billion tonnes | 3.08 billion tonnes | 4.59 billion tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.14 billion tonnes | 4.77 billion tonnes | 5.52 billion tonnes | 5 |
Countries ranked near China
More climate change data for China
- Share of global CO₂ emissions and population 6.2% (2100)
- Population growth -0.2% (2025)
- Population, total 1.41 billion (2025)
- Urban population growth 0.5% (2025)
- Urban population 933.17 million (2025)
- Urban population 66.3% (2025)
- CO₂ emissions per capita vs. GDP per capita 8.66 tonnes per person (2024)
- Cumulative CO₂ emissions 285.09 billion tonnes (2024)
- CO₂ emissions per capita 8.66 tonnes per person (2024)
- CO₂ emissions per capita vs. share of electricity generation from renewables 8.66 tonnes per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is cumulative co₂ emissions by source in China?
- Cumulative co₂ emissions by source in China was 5.52 billion tonnes in 2024, according to Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest cumulative co₂ emissions by source recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 5.52 billion tonnes in 2024.
- What is the lowest cumulative co₂ emissions by source recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 18.93 million tonnes in 1960.
- How does China rank for cumulative co₂ emissions by source?
- China ranks 1st out of 46 countries with data for 2024.
- Is cumulative co₂ emissions by source rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 49.7%. 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 by source. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 65 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Cumulative emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂) from other industry sources since the first year of available data, measured in tonnes.