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Cumulative CO₂ emissions from land-use change in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka: Cumulative CO₂ emissions from land-use change was 2.82 billion tonnes in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
2.82 billion tonnes
Change on year
up 0.4%
World rank
55th
of 197 countries
All-time high
2.82 billion tonnes
in 2024
All-time low
21.55 million tonnes
in 1850
Years of data
175
1850–2024

Cumulative CO₂ emissions from land-use change in Sri Lanka, 1850–2024

01.0B2.0B3.0B185019372024

Source: Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.

Analysis

In 2024, cumulative co₂ emissions from land-use change in Sri Lanka stood at 2.82 billion tonnes. That is the highest value across all 175 years on record.

The figure is up 0.4% on the previous year and up 4.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, cumulative co₂ emissions from land-use change in Sri Lanka peaked at 2.82 billion tonnes in 2024 and was at its lowest, 21.55 million tonnes, in 1850.

That places Sri Lanka 55th out of 197 countries with data for 2024, putting it 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 land-use change in Sri Lanka, year by year

Year tonnes Change
1850 21.55 million tonnes —
1851 41.58 million tonnes +93.0%
1852 60.68 million tonnes +45.9%
1853 79.13 million tonnes +30.4%
1854 97.72 million tonnes +23.5%
1855 116.21 million tonnes +18.9%
1856 134.73 million tonnes +15.9%
1857 152.95 million tonnes +13.5%
1858 170.94 million tonnes +11.8%
1859 189.82 million tonnes +11.0%
1860 206.12 million tonnes +8.6%
1861 219.48 million tonnes +6.5%
1862 231.49 million tonnes +5.5%
1863 243.24 million tonnes +5.1%
1864 254.40 million tonnes +4.6%
1865 264.88 million tonnes +4.1%
1866 274.85 million tonnes +3.8%
1867 285.52 million tonnes +3.9%
1868 295.80 million tonnes +3.6%
1869 305.50 million tonnes +3.3%
1870 311.74 million tonnes +2.0%
1871 316.52 million tonnes +1.5%
1872 320.52 million tonnes +1.3%
1873 324.01 million tonnes +1.1%
1874 327.38 million tonnes +1.0%
1875 330.32 million tonnes +0.9%
1876 333.01 million tonnes +0.8%
1877 335.51 million tonnes +0.8%
1878 337.87 million tonnes +0.7%
1879 340.11 million tonnes +0.7%
1880 343.93 million tonnes +1.1%
1881 348.33 million tonnes +1.3%
1882 353.51 million tonnes +1.5%
1883 358.77 million tonnes +1.5%
1884 364.29 million tonnes +1.5%
1885 369.86 million tonnes +1.5%
1886 375.74 million tonnes +1.6%
1887 381.45 million tonnes +1.5%
1888 387.15 million tonnes +1.5%
1889 393.94 million tonnes +1.8%
1890 402.61 million tonnes +2.2%
1891 414.59 million tonnes +3.0%
1892 428.17 million tonnes +3.3%
1893 440.33 million tonnes +2.8%
1894 453.65 million tonnes +3.0%
1895 466.61 million tonnes +2.9%
1896 480.38 million tonnes +3.0%
1897 496.42 million tonnes +3.3%
1898 511.73 million tonnes +3.1%
1899 527.44 million tonnes +3.1%
1900 541.69 million tonnes +2.7%
1901 553.58 million tonnes +2.2%
1902 564.00 million tonnes +1.9%
1903 575.93 million tonnes +2.1%
1904 586.88 million tonnes +1.9%
1905 598.21 million tonnes +1.9%
1906 610.17 million tonnes +2.0%
1907 621.54 million tonnes +1.9%
1908 632.06 million tonnes +1.7%
1909 644.23 million tonnes +1.9%
1910 654.16 million tonnes +1.5%
1911 664.10 million tonnes +1.5%
1912 672.97 million tonnes +1.3%
1913 681.81 million tonnes +1.3%
1914 692.12 million tonnes +1.5%
1915 700.95 million tonnes +1.3%
1916 710.39 million tonnes +1.3%
1917 719.00 million tonnes +1.2%
1918 727.52 million tonnes +1.2%
1919 736.89 million tonnes +1.3%
1920 745.34 million tonnes +1.1%
1921 753.00 million tonnes +1.0%
1922 760.50 million tonnes +1.0%
1923 768.03 million tonnes +1.0%
1924 774.92 million tonnes +0.9%
1925 781.63 million tonnes +0.9%
1926 788.28 million tonnes +0.9%
1927 794.95 million tonnes +0.8%
1928 802.20 million tonnes +0.9%
1929 809.41 million tonnes +0.9%
1930 816.90 million tonnes +0.9%
1931 824.56 million tonnes +0.9%
1932 832.58 million tonnes +1.0%
1933 840.60 million tonnes +1.0%
1934 848.72 million tonnes +1.0%
1935 856.96 million tonnes +1.0%
1936 865.98 million tonnes +1.1%
1937 874.67 million tonnes +1.0%
1938 883.99 million tonnes +1.1%
1939 892.98 million tonnes +1.0%
1940 909.00 million tonnes +1.8%
1941 928.88 million tonnes +2.2%
1942 951.20 million tonnes +2.4%
1943 976.30 million tonnes +2.6%
1944 1.00 billion tonnes +2.8%
1945 1.03 billion tonnes +2.7%
1946 1.06 billion tonnes +2.7%
1947 1.09 billion tonnes +2.7%
1948 1.11 billion tonnes +2.5%
1949 1.15 billion tonnes +2.8%
1950 1.17 billion tonnes +2.1%
1951 1.19 billion tonnes +1.9%
1952 1.21 billion tonnes +1.8%
1953 1.23 billion tonnes +1.8%
1954 1.25 billion tonnes +1.7%
1955 1.28 billion tonnes +1.8%
1956 1.30 billion tonnes +1.9%
1957 1.33 billion tonnes +2.0%
1958 1.35 billion tonnes +2.0%
1959 1.38 billion tonnes +1.6%
1960 1.39 billion tonnes +1.1%
1961 1.40 billion tonnes +0.9%
1962 1.52 billion tonnes +8.3%
1963 1.60 billion tonnes +5.1%
1964 1.66 billion tonnes +3.9%
1965 1.71 billion tonnes +3.0%
1966 1.75 billion tonnes +2.5%
1967 1.80 billion tonnes +2.5%
1968 1.83 billion tonnes +1.7%
1969 1.86 billion tonnes +1.4%
1970 1.88 billion tonnes +1.2%
1971 1.90 billion tonnes +1.1%
1972 1.92 billion tonnes +1.0%
1973 1.94 billion tonnes +1.0%
1974 1.95 billion tonnes +0.9%
1975 1.98 billion tonnes +1.3%
1976 2.01 billion tonnes +1.4%
1977 2.04 billion tonnes +1.5%
1978 2.05 billion tonnes +0.8%
1979 2.07 billion tonnes +0.6%
1980 2.08 billion tonnes +0.6%
1981 2.09 billion tonnes +0.4%
1982 2.10 billion tonnes +0.6%
1983 2.11 billion tonnes +0.5%
1984 2.12 billion tonnes +0.5%
1985 2.13 billion tonnes +0.6%
1986 2.14 billion tonnes +0.6%
1987 2.16 billion tonnes +0.5%
1988 2.17 billion tonnes +0.5%
1989 2.18 billion tonnes +0.5%
1990 2.19 billion tonnes +0.5%
1991 2.20 billion tonnes +0.6%
1992 2.21 billion tonnes +0.6%
1993 2.23 billion tonnes +0.6%
1994 2.24 billion tonnes +0.8%
1995 2.26 billion tonnes +0.7%
1996 2.28 billion tonnes +0.8%
1997 2.29 billion tonnes +0.6%
1998 2.31 billion tonnes +0.7%
1999 2.32 billion tonnes +0.5%
2000 2.33 billion tonnes +0.5%
2001 2.34 billion tonnes +0.5%
2002 2.36 billion tonnes +0.6%
2003 2.37 billion tonnes +0.6%
2004 2.42 billion tonnes +2.2%
2005 2.44 billion tonnes +0.9%
2006 2.47 billion tonnes +0.9%
2007 2.52 billion tonnes +2.2%
2008 2.56 billion tonnes +1.4%
2009 2.58 billion tonnes +1.1%
2010 2.62 billion tonnes +1.6%
2011 2.65 billion tonnes +1.0%
2012 2.67 billion tonnes +0.7%
2013 2.69 billion tonnes +0.6%
2014 2.70 billion tonnes +0.5%
2015 2.71 billion tonnes +0.6%
2016 2.73 billion tonnes +0.5%
2017 2.75 billion tonnes +0.8%
2018 2.76 billion tonnes +0.5%
2019 2.78 billion tonnes +0.4%
2020 2.78 billion tonnes +0.3%
2021 2.79 billion tonnes +0.3%
2022 2.80 billion tonnes +0.4%
2023 2.81 billion tonnes +0.4%
2024 2.82 billion tonnes +0.4%

Sri Lanka compared with similar countries

  • Sri Lanka's 2.82 billion tonnes is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 629.27 million tonnes, 4.5× the median. (58 countries reporting)
  • Sri Lanka's 2.82 billion tonnes is above the median for South Asia, which is 2.53 billion tonnes, 1.1× the median. (6 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Cumulative CO₂ emissions from land-use change in Sri Lanka 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.

YearChange FromTo
1851 +93.0% 21.55 million tonnes 41.58 million tonnes
1852 +45.9% 41.58 million tonnes 60.68 million tonnes
1853 +30.4% 60.68 million tonnes 79.13 million tonnes

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1850s 106.53 million tonnes 21.55 million tonnes 189.82 million tonnes 10
1860s 258.13 million tonnes 206.12 million tonnes 305.50 million tonnes 10
1870s 327.70 million tonnes 311.74 million tonnes 340.11 million tonnes 10
1880s 367.70 million tonnes 343.93 million tonnes 393.94 million tonnes 10
1890s 462.19 million tonnes 402.61 million tonnes 527.44 million tonnes 10
1900s 592.83 million tonnes 541.69 million tonnes 644.23 million tonnes 10
1910s 695.99 million tonnes 654.16 million tonnes 736.89 million tonnes 10
1920s 777.83 million tonnes 745.34 million tonnes 809.41 million tonnes 10
1930s 853.79 million tonnes 816.90 million tonnes 892.98 million tonnes 10
1940s 1.02 billion tonnes 909.00 million tonnes 1.15 billion tonnes 10
1950s 1.27 billion tonnes 1.17 billion tonnes 1.38 billion tonnes 10
1960s 1.65 billion tonnes 1.39 billion tonnes 1.86 billion tonnes 10
1970s 1.97 billion tonnes 1.88 billion tonnes 2.07 billion tonnes 10
1980s 2.13 billion tonnes 2.08 billion tonnes 2.18 billion tonnes 10
1990s 2.25 billion tonnes 2.19 billion tonnes 2.32 billion tonnes 10
2000s 2.44 billion tonnes 2.33 billion tonnes 2.58 billion tonnes 10
2010s 2.71 billion tonnes 2.62 billion tonnes 2.78 billion tonnes 10
2020s 2.80 billion tonnes 2.78 billion tonnes 2.82 billion tonnes 5

Countries ranked near Sri Lanka

  1. 52 New Zealand 3.12 billion tonnes compare
  2. 53 Uganda 2.96 billion tonnes compare
  3. 54 Congo 2.89 billion tonnes compare
  4. 56 Pakistan 2.82 billion tonnes compare
  5. 57 Papua New Guinea 2.78 billion tonnes compare
  6. 58 Sudan 2.51 billion tonnes compare

See the full ranking of 197 places →

More climate change data for Sri Lanka

All data for Sri Lanka →

Frequently asked questions

What is cumulative co₂ emissions from land-use change in Sri Lanka?
Cumulative co₂ emissions from land-use change in Sri Lanka was 2.82 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 from land-use change recorded in Sri Lanka?
The highest recorded value was 2.82 billion tonnes in 2024.
What is the lowest cumulative co₂ emissions from land-use change recorded in Sri Lanka?
The lowest recorded value was 21.55 million tonnes in 1850.
How does Sri Lanka rank for cumulative co₂ emissions from land-use change?
Sri Lanka ranks 55th out of 197 countries with data for 2024.
Is cumulative co₂ emissions from land-use change rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
Over the last ten years it is up 4.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Sri Lanka 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 land-use change. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Cumulative CO₂ emissions from land-use change in Sri Lanka. Statizoid, drawing on Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 24 September 2026, from https://climate.statizoid.com/stat/cumulative-co2-land-use/sri-lanka/

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About this data

Indicator
Cumulative CO₂ emissions from land-use change
Unit
tonnes
Source
Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
197 places, 34,475 data points, 1850–2024
Last refreshed

Cumulative emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂) from land-use change since the first year of available data, measured in tonnes.