Emissions of air pollutants in Germany

Germany: Emissions of air pollutants was 21.43 (1990 = 100) in 2015. ▼ Falling

Latest (2015)
21.43 (1990 = 100)
Change on year
down 1.3%
World rank
30th
of 31 countries
All-time high
100 (1990 = 100)
in 1990
All-time low
21.43 (1990 = 100)
in 2015
Years of data
26
1990–2015

Emissions of air pollutants in Germany, 1990–2015

204060801001990200220151990: 100 (1990 = 100)1991: 82.2 (1990 = 100)1992: 71.1 (1990 = 100)1993: 64.7 (1990 = 100)1994: 53.9 (1990 = 100)1995: 51.5 (1990 = 100)1996: 47.9 (1990 = 100)1997: 46.8 (1990 = 100)1998: 43.2 (1990 = 100)1999: 40.5 (1990 = 100)2000: 38.3 (1990 = 100)2001: 36.9 (1990 = 100)2002: 34.7 (1990 = 100)2003: 33.3 (1990 = 100)2004: 31.4 (1990 = 100)2005: 29.8 (1990 = 100)2006: 29 (1990 = 100)2007: 28 (1990 = 100)2008: 27.2 (1990 = 100)2009: 23.6 (1990 = 100)2010: 26.5 (1990 = 100)2011: 25.8 (1990 = 100)2012: 22.9 (1990 = 100)2013: 22.6 (1990 = 100)2014: 21.7 (1990 = 100)2015: 21.4 (1990 = 100)

Source: OECD (2018) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in (1990 = 100).

Analysis

Germany recorded 21.43 (1990 = 100) for emissions of air pollutants in 2015. That is the lowest value across all 26 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.3% on the previous year and down 28.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, emissions of air pollutants in Germany peaked at 100 (1990 = 100) in 1990 and was at its lowest, 21.43 (1990 = 100), in 2015.

Germany ranks 30th of 31 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 26 years of available data.

Emissions of air pollutants in Germany, year by year

Annual values for Emissions of air pollutants in Germany, 1990 to 2015.
Year (1990 = 100) Change
1990 100 (1990 = 100) —
1991 82.18 (1990 = 100) -17.8%
1992 71.1 (1990 = 100) -13.5%
1993 64.72 (1990 = 100) -9.0%
1994 53.86 (1990 = 100) -16.8%
1995 51.5 (1990 = 100) -4.4%
1996 47.88 (1990 = 100) -7.0%
1997 46.79 (1990 = 100) -2.3%
1998 43.25 (1990 = 100) -7.6%
1999 40.5 (1990 = 100) -6.4%
2000 38.33 (1990 = 100) -5.4%
2001 36.92 (1990 = 100) -3.7%
2002 34.73 (1990 = 100) -5.9%
2003 33.28 (1990 = 100) -4.2%
2004 31.39 (1990 = 100) -5.7%
2005 29.75 (1990 = 100) -5.2%
2006 28.97 (1990 = 100) -2.6%
2007 28.03 (1990 = 100) -3.2%
2008 27.19 (1990 = 100) -3.0%
2009 23.62 (1990 = 100) -13.1%
2010 26.54 (1990 = 100) +12.4%
2011 25.84 (1990 = 100) -2.6%
2012 22.85 (1990 = 100) -11.6%
2013 22.63 (1990 = 100) -1.0%
2014 21.72 (1990 = 100) -4.0%
2015 21.43 (1990 = 100) -1.3%

Germany compared with similar countries

  • Germany's 21.43 (1990 = 100) is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 38.03 (1990 = 100), 56% of the median. (26 countries reporting)
  • Germany's 21.43 (1990 = 100) is below the median for high income countries, which is 40.16 (1990 = 100), 53% of the median. (30 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 60.18 (1990 = 100) 40.5 (1990 = 100) 100 (1990 = 100) 10
2000s 31.22 (1990 = 100) 23.62 (1990 = 100) 38.33 (1990 = 100) 10
2010s 23.5 (1990 = 100) 21.43 (1990 = 100) 26.54 (1990 = 100) 6

Countries ranked near Germany

  1. 27 Belgium 28.04 (1990 = 100) compare
  2. 28 Switzerland 23.15 (1990 = 100) compare
  3. 29 United Kingdom 22.25 (1990 = 100) compare
  4. 31 Luxembourg 4.68 (1990 = 100) compare

See the full ranking of 31 places →

More climate change data for Germany

All data for Germany →

Frequently asked questions

What is emissions of air pollutants in Germany?
Emissions of air pollutants in Germany was 21.43 (1990 = 100) in 2015, according to OECD (2018) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest emissions of air pollutants recorded in Germany?
The highest recorded value was 100 (1990 = 100) in 1990.
What is the lowest emissions of air pollutants recorded in Germany?
The lowest recorded value was 21.43 (1990 = 100) in 2015.
How does Germany rank for emissions of air pollutants?
Germany ranks 30th out of 31 countries with data for 2015.
Is emissions of air pollutants rising or falling in Germany?
Over the last ten years it is down 28.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Germany data come from?
The figures come from OECD (2018) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Emissions of air pollutants. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Emissions of air pollutants in Germany. Statizoid, drawing on OECD (2018) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 26 September 2026, from https://climate.statizoid.com/stat/emissions-of-air-pollutants-oecd/germany/

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About this data

Indicator
Emissions of air pollutants
Unit
(1990 = 100)
Source
OECD (2018) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
31 places, 806 data points, 1990–2015
Last refreshed

Index of local air pollutant emissions since 1990. Annual emission levels are assumed to be 100 in 1990; values less than 100 therefore indicate a reduction in emissions; values over 100 indicate an increase since 1990.