emissions of air pollutants, per capita in United States
United States: emissions of air pollutants, per capita was 0.0658 tonnes per person in 2022. ◆ Volatile
emissions of air pollutants, per capita in United States, 1960–2022
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in tonnes per person.
Analysis
United States recorded 0.0658 tonnes per person for emissions of air pollutants, per capita in 2022.
The figure is down 2.3% on the previous year and down 41.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, emissions of air pollutants, per capita in United States peaked at 0.841 tonnes per person in 1970 and was at its lowest, 0.0647 tonnes per person, in 2020.
United States ranks 52nd of 207 countries on this measure, in the top 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 States, year by year
| Year | tonnes per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 0.6696 tonnes per person | — |
| 1961 | 0.6651 tonnes per person | -0.7% |
| 1962 | 0.6786 tonnes per person | +2.0% |
| 1963 | 0.6901 tonnes per person | +1.7% |
| 1964 | 0.7027 tonnes per person | +1.8% |
| 1965 | 0.7126 tonnes per person | +1.4% |
| 1966 | 0.7378 tonnes per person | +3.5% |
| 1967 | 0.7494 tonnes per person | +1.6% |
| 1968 | 0.788 tonnes per person | +5.1% |
| 1969 | 0.8172 tonnes per person | +3.7% |
| 1970 | 0.841 tonnes per person | +2.9% |
| 1971 | 0.8253 tonnes per person | -1.9% |
| 1972 | 0.8304 tonnes per person | +0.6% |
| 1973 | 0.8214 tonnes per person | -1.1% |
| 1974 | 0.7616 tonnes per person | -7.3% |
| 1975 | 0.7296 tonnes per person | -4.2% |
| 1976 | 0.7498 tonnes per person | +2.8% |
| 1977 | 0.7537 tonnes per person | +0.5% |
| 1978 | 0.7586 tonnes per person | +0.7% |
| 1979 | 0.7119 tonnes per person | -6.2% |
| 1980 | 0.6583 tonnes per person | -7.5% |
| 1981 | 0.6426 tonnes per person | -2.4% |
| 1982 | 0.6241 tonnes per person | -2.9% |
| 1983 | 0.6153 tonnes per person | -1.4% |
| 1984 | 0.602 tonnes per person | -2.2% |
| 1985 | 0.5947 tonnes per person | -1.2% |
| 1986 | 0.5728 tonnes per person | -3.7% |
| 1987 | 0.5572 tonnes per person | -2.7% |
| 1988 | 0.5428 tonnes per person | -2.6% |
| 1989 | 0.5126 tonnes per person | -5.6% |
| 1990 | 0.4623 tonnes per person | -9.8% |
| 1991 | 0.4432 tonnes per person | -4.2% |
| 1992 | 0.424 tonnes per person | -4.3% |
| 1993 | 0.3975 tonnes per person | -6.3% |
| 1994 | 0.3857 tonnes per person | -3.0% |
| 1995 | 0.3729 tonnes per person | -3.3% |
| 1996 | 0.3478 tonnes per person | -6.7% |
| 1997 | 0.3386 tonnes per person | -2.6% |
| 1998 | 0.3299 tonnes per person | -2.6% |
| 1999 | 0.3056 tonnes per person | -7.4% |
| 2000 | 0.3025 tonnes per person | -1.0% |
| 2001 | 0.2877 tonnes per person | -4.9% |
| 2002 | 0.2432 tonnes per person | -15.5% |
| 2003 | 0.2249 tonnes per person | -7.5% |
| 2004 | 0.2076 tonnes per person | -7.7% |
| 2005 | 0.1963 tonnes per person | -5.4% |
| 2006 | 0.1853 tonnes per person | -5.6% |
| 2007 | 0.1693 tonnes per person | -8.6% |
| 2008 | 0.1536 tonnes per person | -9.3% |
| 2009 | 0.1408 tonnes per person | -8.3% |
| 2010 | 0.126 tonnes per person | -10.5% |
| 2011 | 0.1255 tonnes per person | -0.4% |
| 2012 | 0.112 tonnes per person | -10.7% |
| 2013 | 0.1136 tonnes per person | +1.4% |
| 2014 | 0.1092 tonnes per person | -3.9% |
| 2015 | 0.1049 tonnes per person | -4.0% |
| 2016 | 0.0925 tonnes per person | -11.8% |
| 2017 | 0.0883 tonnes per person | -4.5% |
| 2018 | 0.0822 tonnes per person | -6.9% |
| 2019 | 0.0762 tonnes per person | -7.3% |
| 2020 | 0.0647 tonnes per person | -15.1% |
| 2021 | 0.0673 tonnes per person | +4.0% |
| 2022 | 0.0658 tonnes per person | -2.3% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 0.0658 tonnes per person is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.0387 tonnes per person, 1.7× the median. (78 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.7211 tonnes per person | 0.6651 tonnes per person | 0.8172 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.7783 tonnes per person | 0.7119 tonnes per person | 0.841 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.5922 tonnes per person | 0.5126 tonnes per person | 0.6583 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.3808 tonnes per person | 0.3056 tonnes per person | 0.4623 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.2111 tonnes per person | 0.1408 tonnes per person | 0.3025 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.1031 tonnes per person | 0.0762 tonnes per person | 0.126 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.066 tonnes per person | 0.0647 tonnes per person | 0.0673 tonnes per person | 3 |
Countries ranked near United States
More climate change data for United States
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 274,482 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 60,922 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 213,560 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 229.89 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 7,627 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 107,381 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 89,068 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 18,313 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 336.11 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 654.05 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is emissions of air pollutants, per capita in United States?
- Emissions of air pollutants, per capita in United States was 0.0658 tonnes per person in 2022, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest emissions of air pollutants, per capita recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 0.841 tonnes per person in 1970.
- What is the lowest emissions of air pollutants, per capita recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0647 tonnes per person in 2020.
- How does United States rank for emissions of air pollutants, per capita?
- United States ranks 52nd out of 207 countries with data for 2022.
- Is emissions of air pollutants, per capita rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is down 41.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United States 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.