Food Packaging — Emissions (CO2eq) in United States of America

United States of America: Food Packaging — Emissions (CO2eq) was 21,453 kt in 2023. ▼ Falling

Latest (2023)
21,453 kt
Change on year
unchanged
Rank
9th
of 32 groups
All-time high
51,697 kt
in 1997
All-time low
18,683 kt
in 2020
Years of data
34
1990–2023

Food Packaging — Emissions (CO2eq) in United States of America, 1990–2023

020.0k40.0k60.0k1990200620231990: 37.3k kt1991: 44.4k kt1992: 36.5k kt1993: 35.1k kt1994: 33.2k kt1995: 49.7k kt1996: 49.9k kt1997: 51.7k kt1998: 41.5k kt1999: 39.7k kt2000: 42.6k kt2001: 41.5k kt2002: 31.2k kt2003: 31.4k kt2004: 31.3k kt2005: 30.5k kt2006: 29.4k kt2007: 30.7k kt2008: 30.5k kt2009: 26.0k kt2010: 27.1k kt2011: 25.6k kt2012: 24.1k kt2013: 23.4k kt2014: 25.6k kt2015: 24.9k kt2016: 24.1k kt2017: 20.5k kt2018: 19.6k kt2019: 18.9k kt2020: 18.7k kt2021: 20.8k kt2022: 21.5k kt2023: 21.5k kt

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

Analysis

The most recent figure for food packaging — emissions (co2eq) in United States of America is 21,453 kt, measured in 2023.

That represents a change of down 8.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, food packaging — emissions (co2eq) in United States of America peaked at 51,697 kt in 1997 and was at its lowest, 18,683 kt, in 2020.

That places United States of America 9th out of 32 groups with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 34 years of available data.

Food Packaging — Emissions (CO2eq) in United States of America, year by year

Annual values for Food Packaging — Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5) in United States of America, 1990 to 2023.
Year kt Change
1990 37,280 kt
1991 44,442 kt +19.2%
1992 36,494 kt -17.9%
1993 35,103 kt -3.8%
1994 33,178 kt -5.5%
1995 49,656 kt +49.7%
1996 49,888 kt +0.5%
1997 51,697 kt +3.6%
1998 41,467 kt -19.8%
1999 39,708 kt -4.2%
2000 42,626 kt +7.3%
2001 41,462 kt -2.7%
2002 31,244 kt -24.6%
2003 31,413 kt +0.5%
2004 31,256 kt -0.5%
2005 30,484 kt -2.5%
2006 29,388 kt -3.6%
2007 30,694 kt +4.4%
2008 30,466 kt -0.7%
2009 25,972 kt -14.7%
2010 27,137 kt +4.5%
2011 25,610 kt -5.6%
2012 24,143 kt -5.7%
2013 23,448 kt -2.9%
2014 25,628 kt +9.3%
2015 24,864 kt -3.0%
2016 24,092 kt -3.1%
2017 20,548 kt -14.7%
2018 19,618 kt -4.5%
2019 18,913 kt -3.6%
2020 18,683 kt -1.2%
2021 20,802 kt +11.3%
2022 21,453 kt +3.1%
2023 21,453 kt +0.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 41,891 kt 33,178 kt 51,697 kt 10
2000s 32,500 kt 25,972 kt 42,626 kt 10
2010s 23,400 kt 18,913 kt 27,137 kt 10
2020s 20,597 kt 18,683 kt 21,453 kt 4

Countries ranked near United States of America

  1. 6 Brazil 5,313 kt compare
  2. 7 Germany 5,293 kt compare
  3. 8 South Africa 4,570 kt compare
  4. 9 Australia and New Zealand 4,304 kt compare
  5. 10 Australia 4,180 kt compare
  6. 11 India 3,760 kt compare
  7. 12 Canada 3,682 kt compare

See the full ranking of 168 places →

More climate change data for United States of America

All data for United States of America →

Frequently asked questions

What is food packaging — emissions (co2eq) in United States of America?
Food packaging — emissions (co2eq) in United States of America was 21,453 kt in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
What is the highest food packaging — emissions (co2eq) recorded in United States of America?
The highest recorded value was 51,697 kt in 1997.
What is the lowest food packaging — emissions (co2eq) recorded in United States of America?
The lowest recorded value was 18,683 kt in 2020.
How does United States of America rank for food packaging — emissions (co2eq)?
United States of America ranks 9th out of 32 groups with data for 2023.
Is food packaging — emissions (co2eq) rising or falling in United States of America?
Over the last ten years it is down 8.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this United States of America data come from?
The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, published as part of Food Packaging — Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Food Packaging — Emissions (CO2eq) in United States of America. Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Retrieved 03 September 2026, from https://climate.statizoid.com/stat/food-packaging-emissions-co2eq-ar5/united-states-of-america/

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About this data

Indicator
Food Packaging — Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5)
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.