Imported or exported CO₂ emissions per capita in India
India: Imported or exported CO₂ emissions per capita was -0.3613 tonnes per person in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Imported or exported CO₂ emissions per capita in India, 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
In 2023, imported or exported co₂ emissions per capita in India stood at -0.3613 tonnes per person. That is the lowest value across all 34 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.9% on the previous year and down 31.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, imported or exported co₂ emissions per capita in India peaked at 0.0062 tonnes per person in 1990 and was at its lowest, -0.3613 tonnes per person, in 2023.
That places India 104th 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 India, year by year
| Year | tonnes per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 0.0062 tonnes per person | — |
| 1991 | -0.013 tonnes per person | -309.3% |
| 1992 | 0.0016 tonnes per person | -112.1% |
| 1993 | -0.0176 tonnes per person | -1221.6% |
| 1994 | -0.0231 tonnes per person | +31.3% |
| 1995 | -0.0332 tonnes per person | +43.8% |
| 1996 | -0.0511 tonnes per person | +54.0% |
| 1997 | -0.0555 tonnes per person | +8.7% |
| 1998 | -0.0606 tonnes per person | +9.1% |
| 1999 | -0.0377 tonnes per person | -37.7% |
| 2000 | -0.0687 tonnes per person | +82.1% |
| 2001 | -0.0739 tonnes per person | +7.6% |
| 2002 | -0.0873 tonnes per person | +18.2% |
| 2003 | -0.0743 tonnes per person | -14.9% |
| 2004 | -0.0804 tonnes per person | +8.2% |
| 2005 | -0.0787 tonnes per person | -2.1% |
| 2006 | -0.1029 tonnes per person | +30.8% |
| 2007 | -0.086 tonnes per person | -16.5% |
| 2008 | -0.0973 tonnes per person | +13.2% |
| 2009 | -0.0748 tonnes per person | -23.2% |
| 2010 | -0.0864 tonnes per person | +15.5% |
| 2011 | -0.1122 tonnes per person | +29.9% |
| 2012 | -0.1133 tonnes per person | +1.0% |
| 2013 | -0.2759 tonnes per person | +143.4% |
| 2014 | -0.2569 tonnes per person | -6.9% |
| 2015 | -0.2039 tonnes per person | -20.6% |
| 2016 | -0.2608 tonnes per person | +27.9% |
| 2017 | -0.2306 tonnes per person | -11.6% |
| 2018 | -0.2591 tonnes per person | +12.4% |
| 2019 | -0.2476 tonnes per person | -4.4% |
| 2020 | -0.2407 tonnes per person | -2.8% |
| 2021 | -0.2996 tonnes per person | +24.5% |
| 2022 | -0.3446 tonnes per person | +15.0% |
| 2023 | -0.3613 tonnes per person | +4.9% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's -0.3613 tonnes per person is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.1283 tonnes per person. (28 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Imported or exported CO₂ emissions per capita 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | -1221.6% | 0.0016 tonnes per person | -0.0176 tonnes per person |
| 1991 | -309.3% | 0.0062 tonnes per person | -0.013 tonnes per person |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | -0.0284 tonnes per person | -0.0606 tonnes per person | 0.0062 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 2000s | -0.0824 tonnes per person | -0.1029 tonnes per person | -0.0687 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 2010s | -0.2047 tonnes per person | -0.2759 tonnes per person | -0.0864 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 2020s | -0.3115 tonnes per person | -0.3613 tonnes per person | -0.2407 tonnes per person | 4 |
Countries ranked near India
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 imported or exported co₂ emissions per capita in India?
- Imported or exported co₂ emissions per capita in India was -0.3613 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 India?
- The highest recorded value was 0.0062 tonnes per person in 1990.
- What is the lowest imported or exported co₂ emissions per capita recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.3613 tonnes per person in 2023.
- How does India rank for imported or exported co₂ emissions per capita?
- India ranks 104th out of 120 countries with data for 2023.
- Is imported or exported co₂ emissions per capita rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is down 31.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this India 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.