Food Packaging — Emissions in China

China: Food Packaging — Emissions was 95,897 kt in 2023. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2023)
95,897 kt
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
1st
of 120 countries
All-time high
106,970 kt
in 2011
All-time low
6,389 kt
in 1990
Years of data
34
1990–2023

Food Packaging — Emissions in China, 1990–2023

025.0k50.0k75.0k100.0k1990200620231990: 6.4k kt1991: 7.2k kt1992: 7.5k kt1993: 8.8k kt1994: 9.2k kt1995: 9.4k kt1996: 10.1k kt1997: 9.8k kt1998: 9.4k kt1999: 8.9k kt2000: 32.5k kt2001: 43.4k kt2002: 43.7k kt2003: 51.7k kt2004: 69.0k kt2005: 78.4k kt2006: 79.7k kt2007: 86.6k kt2008: 90.9k kt2009: 92.4k kt2010: 97.0k kt2011: 107.0k kt2012: 98.8k kt2013: 98.4k kt2014: 103.2k kt2015: 95.0k kt2016: 93.3k kt2017: 86.1k kt2018: 84.5k kt2019: 78.7k kt2020: 83.9k kt2021: 79.3k kt2022: 95.9k kt2023: 95.9k kt

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in kt.

Analysis

The most recent figure for food packaging — emissions in China is 95,897 kt, measured in 2023.

The figure is down 2.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, food packaging — emissions in China peaked at 106,970 kt in 2011 and was at its lowest, 6,389 kt, in 1990.

That places China 1st out of 120 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Food Packaging — Emissions in China, year by year

Annual values for Food Packaging — Emissions (CO2) in China, 1990 to 2023.
Year kt Change
1990 6,389 kt —
1991 7,206 kt +12.8%
1992 7,506 kt +4.2%
1993 8,783 kt +17.0%
1994 9,235 kt +5.2%
1995 9,404 kt +1.8%
1996 10,058 kt +7.0%
1997 9,816 kt -2.4%
1998 9,432 kt -3.9%
1999 8,886 kt -5.8%
2000 32,488 kt +265.6%
2001 43,405 kt +33.6%
2002 43,669 kt +0.6%
2003 51,717 kt +18.4%
2004 69,005 kt +33.4%
2005 78,353 kt +13.5%
2006 79,699 kt +1.7%
2007 86,622 kt +8.7%
2008 90,945 kt +5.0%
2009 92,370 kt +1.6%
2010 96,964 kt +5.0%
2011 106,970 kt +10.3%
2012 98,818 kt -7.6%
2013 98,358 kt -0.5%
2014 103,245 kt +5.0%
2015 94,982 kt -8.0%
2016 93,287 kt -1.8%
2017 86,114 kt -7.7%
2018 84,546 kt -1.8%
2019 78,747 kt -6.9%
2020 83,880 kt +6.5%
2021 79,302 kt -5.5%
2022 95,897 kt +20.9%
2023 95,897 kt +0.0%

China compared with similar countries

  • China's 95,897 kt is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 156.95 kt, 611.0× the median. (34 countries reporting)
  • China's 95,897 kt is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 228.7 kt, 419.3× the median. (12 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Food Packaging — Emissions in China 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
2000 +265.6% 8,886 kt 32,488 kt

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 8,672 kt 6,389 kt 10,058 kt 10
2000s 66,827 kt 32,488 kt 92,370 kt 10
2010s 94,203 kt 78,747 kt 106,970 kt 10
2020s 88,744 kt 79,302 kt 95,897 kt 4

Countries ranked near China

  1. 2 China, mainland 92,446 kt compare
  2. 2 Türkiye 3,200 kt compare
  3. 3 Viet Nam 2,277 kt compare
  4. 3 OECD 69,267 kt compare
  5. 4 Russian Federation 12,362 kt compare

See the full ranking of 168 places →

More climate change data for China

All data for China →

Frequently asked questions

What is food packaging — emissions in China?
Food packaging — emissions in China was 95,897 kt in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
What is the highest food packaging — emissions recorded in China?
The highest recorded value was 106,970 kt in 2011.
What is the lowest food packaging — emissions recorded in China?
The lowest recorded value was 6,389 kt in 1990.
How does China rank for food packaging — emissions?
China ranks 1st out of 120 countries with data for 2023.
Is food packaging — emissions rising or falling in China?
Over the last ten years it is down 2.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this China data come from?
The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, published as part of Food Packaging — Emissions (CO2). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Food Packaging — Emissions in China. Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Retrieved 28 September 2026, from https://climate.statizoid.com/stat/food-packaging-emissions-co2/china/

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About this data

Indicator
Food Packaging — Emissions (CO2)
Unit
kt
Source
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Licence
CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (FAO)
Coverage
168 places, 5,039 data points, 1990–2023
Last refreshed

The FAOSTAT domain on Emissions from Pre- and post- agricultural production includes the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and related activity data, generated from pre- and post-agriculture production stages of the agri-food systems. Data are computed following the Tier 1 methods of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Guidelines for National greenhouse gas (GHG) Inventories (IPCC, 1996; 1997; 2000; 2002; 2006; 2014). The domain includes methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), carbon dioxide (CO2) and CO2 equivalent (CO2eq) emissions from the above activities as well as the aggregate fluorinated gases (F-gases) emissions. Estimates are available by country, with global coverage and are updated annually.The FAOSTAT domain disseminates information estimates of CH4, N2O, CO2 emissions, F-gases, their aggregates in CO2eq in units of kilotonnes (kt, or 10^6 kg), and the underlying activity data. CO2eq emissions are computed by using the IPCC Fifth Assessment report global warming potentials, AR5 (IPCC, 2014). Data are available for most countries and territories, for standard FAOSTAT regional aggregations, and for Annex I and non-Annex I country groups.