Cumulative CO₂ emissions by source in Iceland
Iceland: Cumulative CO₂ emissions by source was 346,775 tonnes in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Cumulative CO₂ emissions by source in Iceland, 1990–2024
Source: Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
Iceland recorded 346,775 tonnes for cumulative co₂ emissions by source in 2024. That is the highest value across all 35 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.9% on the previous year and up 52.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, cumulative co₂ emissions by source in Iceland peaked at 346,775 tonnes in 2024 and was at its lowest, 8,014 tonnes, in 1990.
Iceland ranks 44th of 46 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Cumulative CO₂ emissions by source in Iceland, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 8,014 tonnes | — |
| 1991 | 15,909 tonnes | +98.5% |
| 1992 | 23,554 tonnes | +48.1% |
| 1993 | 30,174 tonnes | +28.1% |
| 1994 | 36,524 tonnes | +21.0% |
| 1995 | 44,841 tonnes | +22.8% |
| 1996 | 52,797 tonnes | +17.7% |
| 1997 | 60,612 tonnes | +14.8% |
| 1998 | 67,903 tonnes | +12.0% |
| 1999 | 74,592 tonnes | +9.9% |
| 2000 | 81,103 tonnes | +8.7% |
| 2001 | 87,352 tonnes | +7.7% |
| 2002 | 93,215 tonnes | +6.7% |
| 2003 | 100,804 tonnes | +8.1% |
| 2004 | 111,835 tonnes | +10.9% |
| 2005 | 122,192 tonnes | +9.3% |
| 2006 | 132,731 tonnes | +8.6% |
| 2007 | 145,911 tonnes | +9.9% |
| 2008 | 160,213 tonnes | +9.8% |
| 2009 | 172,782 tonnes | +7.8% |
| 2010 | 183,236 tonnes | +6.1% |
| 2011 | 194,348 tonnes | +6.1% |
| 2012 | 205,642 tonnes | +5.8% |
| 2013 | 215,890 tonnes | +5.0% |
| 2014 | 227,663 tonnes | +5.5% |
| 2015 | 238,446 tonnes | +4.7% |
| 2016 | 249,852 tonnes | +4.8% |
| 2017 | 262,183 tonnes | +4.9% |
| 2018 | 271,790 tonnes | +3.7% |
| 2019 | 283,503 tonnes | +4.3% |
| 2020 | 295,867 tonnes | +4.4% |
| 2021 | 308,767 tonnes | +4.4% |
| 2022 | 320,549 tonnes | +3.8% |
| 2023 | 333,662 tonnes | +4.1% |
| 2024 | 346,775 tonnes | +3.9% |
Iceland compared with similar countries
- Iceland's 346,775 tonnes is below the median for high income countries, which is 29.73 million tonnes, 1% of the median. (39 countries reporting)
- Iceland's 346,775 tonnes is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 31.11 million tonnes, 1% of the median. (36 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Cumulative CO₂ emissions by source 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | +98.5% | 8,014 tonnes | 15,909 tonnes |
| 1992 | +48.1% | 15,909 tonnes | 23,554 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 41,492 tonnes | 8,014 tonnes | 74,592 tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 120,814 tonnes | 81,103 tonnes | 172,782 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 233,255 tonnes | 183,236 tonnes | 283,503 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 321,124 tonnes | 295,867 tonnes | 346,775 tonnes | 5 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
- 41 Latvia 2.41 million tonnes compare
- 42 Luxembourg 2.17 million tonnes compare
- 43 Cyprus 1.39 million tonnes compare
- 45 Malta 39,461 tonnes compare
- 46 Liechtenstein 385 tonnes compare
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 by source in Iceland?
- Cumulative co₂ emissions by source in Iceland was 346,775 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 Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 346,775 tonnes in 2024.
- What is the lowest cumulative co₂ emissions by source recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 8,014 tonnes in 1990.
- How does Iceland rank for cumulative co₂ emissions by source?
- Iceland ranks 44th out of 46 countries with data for 2024.
- Is cumulative co₂ emissions by source rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 52.3%. 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 by source. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 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.