Methane emissions by sector in China
China: Methane emissions by sector was 360,000 tonnes in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Methane emissions by sector in China, 1990–2023
Source: Climate Watch (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
China recorded 360,000 tonnes for methane emissions by sector in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 140.0% on the previous year and up 56.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, methane emissions by sector in China peaked at 1.11 million tonnes in 2000 and was at its lowest, 140,000 tonnes, in 2017.
That places China 26th out of 193 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 661,000 tonnes | 460,000 tonnes | 1.09 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 514,000 tonnes | 190,000 tonnes | 1.11 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 293,000 tonnes | 140,000 tonnes | 480,000 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 272,500 tonnes | 150,000 tonnes | 360,000 tonnes | 4 |
Countries ranked near China
More climate change data for China
- Share of global CO₂ emissions and population 6.2% (2100)
- Population growth -0.2% (2025)
- Population, total 1.41 billion (2025)
- Urban population growth 0.5% (2025)
- Urban population 933.17 million (2025)
- Urban population 66.3% (2025)
- CO₂ emissions per capita vs. GDP per capita 8.66 tonnes per person (2024)
- Cumulative CO₂ emissions 285.09 billion tonnes (2024)
- CO₂ emissions per capita 8.66 tonnes per person (2024)
- CO₂ emissions per capita vs. share of electricity generation from renewables 8.66 tonnes per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is methane emissions by sector in China?
- Methane emissions by sector in China was 360,000 tonnes in 2023, according to Climate Watch (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest methane emissions by sector recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 1.11 million tonnes in 2000.
- What is the lowest methane emissions by sector recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 140,000 tonnes in 2017.
- How does China rank for methane emissions by sector?
- China ranks 26th out of 193 countries with data for 2023.
- Is methane emissions by sector rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 56.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Climate Watch (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Methane emissions by sector. 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
Emissions are measured in tonnes of carbon dioxide-equivalents.