Imported or exported CO₂ emissions per capita in China
China: Imported or exported CO₂ emissions per capita was -0.9244 tonnes per person in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Imported or exported CO₂ emissions per capita in China, 1990–2023
Source: Global Carbon Budget (2025); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes per person.
Analysis
China recorded -0.9244 tonnes per person for imported or exported co₂ emissions per capita in 2023.
That represents a change of down 2.5% on the previous year and up 3.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, imported or exported co₂ emissions per capita in China peaked at -0.0617 tonnes per person in 1992 and was at its lowest, -1.2 tonnes per person, in 2008.
That places China 109th out of 120 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Imported or exported CO₂ emissions per capita in China, year by year
| Year | tonnes per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | -0.1064 tonnes per person | — |
| 1991 | -0.1377 tonnes per person | +29.4% |
| 1992 | -0.0617 tonnes per person | -55.2% |
| 1993 | -0.087 tonnes per person | +41.0% |
| 1994 | -0.2497 tonnes per person | +186.9% |
| 1995 | -0.2578 tonnes per person | +3.3% |
| 1996 | -0.2762 tonnes per person | +7.1% |
| 1997 | -0.3326 tonnes per person | +20.4% |
| 1998 | -0.2862 tonnes per person | -13.9% |
| 1999 | -0.2846 tonnes per person | -0.6% |
| 2000 | -0.3212 tonnes per person | +12.9% |
| 2001 | -0.3073 tonnes per person | -4.3% |
| 2002 | -0.3718 tonnes per person | +21.0% |
| 2003 | -0.63 tonnes per person | +69.4% |
| 2004 | -0.7344 tonnes per person | +16.6% |
| 2005 | -0.943 tonnes per person | +28.4% |
| 2006 | -1.08 tonnes per person | +14.4% |
| 2007 | -1.14 tonnes per person | +5.3% |
| 2008 | -1.2 tonnes per person | +5.9% |
| 2009 | -0.9149 tonnes per person | -23.9% |
| 2010 | -0.9984 tonnes per person | +9.1% |
| 2011 | -1.08 tonnes per person | +7.7% |
| 2012 | -1.04 tonnes per person | -3.3% |
| 2013 | -0.9536 tonnes per person | -8.3% |
| 2014 | -0.9049 tonnes per person | -5.1% |
| 2015 | -0.7652 tonnes per person | -15.4% |
| 2016 | -0.7664 tonnes per person | +0.2% |
| 2017 | -0.7382 tonnes per person | -3.7% |
| 2018 | -0.6366 tonnes per person | -13.8% |
| 2019 | -0.6649 tonnes per person | +4.4% |
| 2020 | -0.7696 tonnes per person | +15.8% |
| 2021 | -0.8387 tonnes per person | +9.0% |
| 2022 | -0.9015 tonnes per person | +7.5% |
| 2023 | -0.9244 tonnes per person | +2.5% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's -0.9244 tonnes per person is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.303 tonnes per person. (32 countries reporting)
- China's -0.9244 tonnes per person is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.3656 tonnes per person. (16 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Imported or exported CO₂ emissions per capita 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.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | -186.9% | -0.087 tonnes per person | -0.2497 tonnes per person |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | -0.208 tonnes per person | -0.3326 tonnes per person | -0.0617 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 2000s | -0.764 tonnes per person | -1.2 tonnes per person | -0.3073 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 2010s | -0.8544 tonnes per person | -1.08 tonnes per person | -0.6366 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 2020s | -0.8586 tonnes per person | -0.9244 tonnes per person | -0.7696 tonnes per person | 4 |
Countries ranked near China
More climate change data for China
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 31.25 billion kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 604,831 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 191,478 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 413,353 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 722.56 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 14,763 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 342,069 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 200,605 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 141,464 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 757 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is imported or exported co₂ emissions per capita in China?
- Imported or exported co₂ emissions per capita in China was -0.9244 tonnes per person in 2023, according to Global Carbon Budget (2025); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest imported or exported co₂ emissions per capita recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was -0.0617 tonnes per person in 1992.
- What is the lowest imported or exported co₂ emissions per capita recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.2 tonnes per person in 2008.
- How does China rank for imported or exported co₂ emissions per capita?
- China ranks 109th out of 120 countries with data for 2023.
- Is imported or exported co₂ emissions per capita rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Global Carbon Budget (2025); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Imported or exported CO₂ emissions per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 34 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Annual net carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions embedded in trade, measured in tonnes per person.