Forest fires — Emissions in India
India: Forest fires — Emissions was 43,675 kt in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Forest fires — Emissions in India, 2001–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in kt.
Analysis
India recorded 43,675 kt for forest fires — emissions in 2024.
That represents a change of up 3.4% on the previous year and down 35.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, forest fires — emissions in India peaked at 148,945 kt in 2021 and was at its lowest, 8,615 kt, in 2002.
That places India 11th out of 181 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Forest fires — Emissions in India, year by year
| Year | kt | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 12,667 kt | — |
| 2002 | 8,615 kt | -32.0% |
| 2003 | 43,684 kt | +407.1% |
| 2004 | 70,408 kt | +61.2% |
| 2005 | 42,588 kt | -39.5% |
| 2006 | 47,220 kt | +10.9% |
| 2007 | 76,014 kt | +61.0% |
| 2008 | 44,339 kt | -41.7% |
| 2009 | 142,989 kt | +222.5% |
| 2010 | 117,851 kt | -17.6% |
| 2011 | 58,437 kt | -50.4% |
| 2012 | 138,718 kt | +137.4% |
| 2013 | 82,362 kt | -40.6% |
| 2014 | 67,292 kt | -18.3% |
| 2015 | 48,972 kt | -27.2% |
| 2016 | 65,268 kt | +33.3% |
| 2017 | 102,632 kt | +57.2% |
| 2018 | 85,269 kt | -16.9% |
| 2019 | 50,912 kt | -40.3% |
| 2020 | 26,166 kt | -48.6% |
| 2021 | 148,945 kt | +469.2% |
| 2022 | 61,739 kt | -58.5% |
| 2023 | 42,225 kt | -31.6% |
| 2024 | 43,675 kt | +3.4% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 43,675 kt is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 257.36 kt, 169.7× the median. (36 countries reporting)
- India's 43,675 kt is above the median for South Asia, which is 3,210 kt, 13.6× the median. (5 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Forest fires — Emissions in India 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.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | +469.2% | 26,166 kt | 148,945 kt |
| 2003 | +407.1% | 8,615 kt | 43,684 kt |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 54,280 kt | 8,615 kt | 142,989 kt | 9 |
| 2010s | 81,771 kt | 48,972 kt | 138,718 kt | 10 |
| 2020s | 64,550 kt | 26,166 kt | 148,945 kt | 5 |
Countries ranked near India
- 8 Russian Federation 49,472 kt compare
- 8 Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) 27,468 kt compare
- 9 Canada 49,170 kt compare
- 10 Mexico 46,350 kt compare
- 10 Viet Nam 6,480 kt compare
- 11 Democratic People's Republic of Korea 857.93 kt compare
- 12 Cambodia 40,127 kt compare
- 12 Melanesia 770.87 kt compare
- 13 Nepal 31,446 kt compare
- 13 Türkiye 223.57 kt compare
- 14 Thailand 30,823 kt compare
- 14 Timor-Leste 13.9 kt compare
More climate change data for India
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 27.69 billion kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 602,760 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 105,678 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 497,082 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 398.78 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 17,753 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 279,594 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 176,015 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 103,578 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 664.21 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is forest fires — emissions in India?
- Forest fires — emissions in India was 43,675 kt in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
- What is the highest forest fires — emissions recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 148,945 kt in 2021.
- What is the lowest forest fires — emissions recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 8,615 kt in 2002.
- How does India rank for forest fires — emissions?
- India ranks 11th out of 181 countries with data for 2024.
- Is forest fires — emissions rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is down 35.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, published as part of Forest fires — Emissions (CO2). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 24 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (FAO).
About this data
The FAOSTAT domain on Emissions from Fires consists of estimates of methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions generated from biomass burning in a range of vegetation types and from fires in organic soils.