emissions of air pollutants, per capita in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: emissions of air pollutants, per capita was 0.0179 tonnes per person in 2022. ◆ Volatile
emissions of air pollutants, per capita in United Kingdom, 1960–2022
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in tonnes per person.
Analysis
United Kingdom recorded 0.0179 tonnes per person for emissions of air pollutants, per capita in 2022. That is the lowest value across all 63 years on record.
That represents a change of down 2.5% on the previous year and down 33.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, emissions of air pollutants, per capita in United Kingdom peaked at 0.2634 tonnes per person in 1960 and was at its lowest, 0.0179 tonnes per person, in 2022.
That places United Kingdom 179th out of 207 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
emissions of air pollutants, per capita in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | tonnes per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 0.2634 tonnes per person | — |
| 1961 | 0.2502 tonnes per person | -5.0% |
| 1962 | 0.2493 tonnes per person | -0.4% |
| 1963 | 0.2465 tonnes per person | -1.1% |
| 1964 | 0.2306 tonnes per person | -6.4% |
| 1965 | 0.2241 tonnes per person | -2.8% |
| 1966 | 0.2014 tonnes per person | -10.1% |
| 1967 | 0.1891 tonnes per person | -6.1% |
| 1968 | 0.1874 tonnes per person | -0.9% |
| 1969 | 0.1844 tonnes per person | -1.6% |
| 1970 | 0.1799 tonnes per person | -2.4% |
| 1971 | 0.1692 tonnes per person | -6.0% |
| 1972 | 0.161 tonnes per person | -4.9% |
| 1973 | 0.1621 tonnes per person | +0.7% |
| 1974 | 0.1542 tonnes per person | -4.9% |
| 1975 | 0.1422 tonnes per person | -7.7% |
| 1976 | 0.1403 tonnes per person | -1.4% |
| 1977 | 0.1416 tonnes per person | +1.0% |
| 1978 | 0.1401 tonnes per person | -1.1% |
| 1979 | 0.1413 tonnes per person | +0.8% |
| 1980 | 0.1335 tonnes per person | -5.5% |
| 1981 | 0.1334 tonnes per person | -0.1% |
| 1982 | 0.134 tonnes per person | +0.5% |
| 1983 | 0.1315 tonnes per person | -1.9% |
| 1984 | 0.129 tonnes per person | -1.9% |
| 1985 | 0.1414 tonnes per person | +9.6% |
| 1986 | 0.1447 tonnes per person | +2.3% |
| 1987 | 0.1462 tonnes per person | +1.1% |
| 1988 | 0.1465 tonnes per person | +0.2% |
| 1989 | 0.1505 tonnes per person | +2.7% |
| 1990 | 0.1447 tonnes per person | -3.8% |
| 1991 | 0.1467 tonnes per person | +1.4% |
| 1992 | 0.1418 tonnes per person | -3.3% |
| 1993 | 0.1389 tonnes per person | -2.1% |
| 1994 | 0.1277 tonnes per person | -8.1% |
| 1995 | 0.117 tonnes per person | -8.4% |
| 1996 | 0.1179 tonnes per person | +0.8% |
| 1997 | 0.11 tonnes per person | -6.7% |
| 1998 | 0.1037 tonnes per person | -5.7% |
| 1999 | 0.0965 tonnes per person | -7.0% |
| 2000 | 0.0869 tonnes per person | -9.9% |
| 2001 | 0.0795 tonnes per person | -8.5% |
| 2002 | 0.0699 tonnes per person | -12.1% |
| 2003 | 0.0631 tonnes per person | -9.7% |
| 2004 | 0.0586 tonnes per person | -7.1% |
| 2005 | 0.0548 tonnes per person | -6.5% |
| 2006 | 0.0511 tonnes per person | -6.8% |
| 2007 | 0.0498 tonnes per person | -2.5% |
| 2008 | 0.0413 tonnes per person | -17.1% |
| 2009 | 0.0326 tonnes per person | -21.1% |
| 2010 | 0.0304 tonnes per person | -6.6% |
| 2011 | 0.0279 tonnes per person | -8.3% |
| 2012 | 0.0271 tonnes per person | -2.7% |
| 2013 | 0.0262 tonnes per person | -3.4% |
| 2014 | 0.0247 tonnes per person | -5.6% |
| 2015 | 0.0236 tonnes per person | -4.8% |
| 2016 | 0.0209 tonnes per person | -11.4% |
| 2017 | 0.0212 tonnes per person | +1.3% |
| 2018 | 0.021 tonnes per person | -0.9% |
| 2019 | 0.0195 tonnes per person | -6.8% |
| 2020 | 0.0182 tonnes per person | -6.8% |
| 2021 | 0.0184 tonnes per person | +1.0% |
| 2022 | 0.0179 tonnes per person | -2.5% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 0.0179 tonnes per person is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.0387 tonnes per person, 46% of the median. (78 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 0.0179 tonnes per person is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.036 tonnes per person, 50% of the median. (52 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.2226 tonnes per person | 0.1844 tonnes per person | 0.2634 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.1532 tonnes per person | 0.1401 tonnes per person | 0.1799 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.1391 tonnes per person | 0.129 tonnes per person | 0.1505 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.1245 tonnes per person | 0.0965 tonnes per person | 0.1467 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.0588 tonnes per person | 0.0326 tonnes per person | 0.0869 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.0243 tonnes per person | 0.0195 tonnes per person | 0.0304 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.0182 tonnes per person | 0.0179 tonnes per person | 0.0184 tonnes per person | 3 |
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 emissions of air pollutants, per capita in United Kingdom?
- Emissions of air pollutants, per capita in United Kingdom was 0.0179 tonnes per person in 2022, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest emissions of air pollutants, per capita recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 0.2634 tonnes per person in 1960.
- What is the lowest emissions of air pollutants, per capita recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0179 tonnes per person in 2022.
- How does United Kingdom rank for emissions of air pollutants, per capita?
- United Kingdom ranks 179th out of 207 countries with data for 2022.
- Is emissions of air pollutants, per capita rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is down 33.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of emissions of air pollutants, per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
emissions of air pollutants divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
emissions of air pollutants ÷ Population, total
Computed from
- emissions of air pollutants Hoesly et al. (2024) – Community Emissions Data System (CEDS) – with major processing by Our World in Data
- Population, total World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
emissions of air pollutants divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.