Per capita CO₂ emissions by source in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Per capita CO₂ emissions by source was 0.2697 tonnes per person in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
0.2697 tonnes per person
Change on year
up 17.3%
World rank
69th
of 179 countries
All-time high
0.3144 tonnes per person
in 2020
All-time low
0 tonnes per person
in 1987
Years of data
75
1950–2024
Per capita CO₂ emissions by source in Sri Lanka, 1950–2024
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 2024, per capita co₂ emissions by source in Sri Lanka stood at 0.2697 tonnes per person.
The figure is up 17.3% on the previous year and up 49.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, per capita co₂ emissions by source in Sri Lanka peaked at 0.3144 tonnes per person in 2020 and was at its lowest, 0 tonnes per person, in 1987.
That places Sri Lanka 69th out of 179 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Per capita CO₂ emissions by source in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | tonnes per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 0.1274 tonnes per person | — |
| 1951 | 0.0806 tonnes per person | -36.7% |
| 1952 | 0.1235 tonnes per person | +53.3% |
| 1953 | 0.1249 tonnes per person | +1.1% |
| 1954 | 0.0911 tonnes per person | -27.0% |
| 1955 | 0.0589 tonnes per person | -35.3% |
| 1956 | 0.0449 tonnes per person | -23.8% |
| 1957 | 0.0836 tonnes per person | +86.0% |
| 1958 | 0.0512 tonnes per person | -38.7% |
| 1959 | 0.0498 tonnes per person | -2.7% |
| 1960 | 0.0713 tonnes per person | +43.1% |
| 1961 | 0.0378 tonnes per person | -47.0% |
| 1962 | 0.0372 tonnes per person | -1.5% |
| 1963 | 0.0374 tonnes per person | +0.4% |
| 1964 | 0.044 tonnes per person | +17.8% |
| 1965 | 0.0339 tonnes per person | -23.0% |
| 1966 | 0.0075 tonnes per person | -77.8% |
| 1967 | 0.0323 tonnes per person | +328.7% |
| 1968 | 0.0097 tonnes per person | -70.0% |
| 1969 | 0.0052 tonnes per person | -46.4% |
| 1970 | 0.0048 tonnes per person | -8.0% |
| 1971 | 0.0029 tonnes per person | -38.8% |
| 1972 | 0.0003 tonnes per person | -90.2% |
| 1973 | 0.0017 tonnes per person | +487.8% |
| 1974 | 0.0017 tonnes per person | -1.9% |
| 1975 | 0.0008 tonnes per person | -50.8% |
| 1976 | 0.0008 tonnes per person | -1.8% |
| 1977 | 0.0003 tonnes per person | -67.3% |
| 1978 | 0.002 tonnes per person | +686.5% |
| 1979 | 0.0003 tonnes per person | -87.7% |
| 1980 | 0.0002 tonnes per person | -1.8% |
| 1981 | 0.0002 tonnes per person | -1.6% |
| 1982 | 0.0058 tonnes per person | +2268.7% |
| 1983 | 0.005 tonnes per person | -13.1% |
| 1984 | 0.0005 tonnes per person | -90.5% |
| 1985 | 0.0005 tonnes per person | -0.7% |
| 1986 | 0.0002 tonnes per person | -50.6% |
| 1987 | 0 tonnes per person | -100.0% |
| 1988 | 0 tonnes per person | — |
| 1989 | 0.0002 tonnes per person | — |
| 1990 | 0.0002 tonnes per person | -0.7% |
| 1991 | 0.0004 tonnes per person | +98.7% |
| 1992 | 0.0002 tonnes per person | -50.8% |
| 1993 | 0.0002 tonnes per person | -1.7% |
| 1994 | 0.0004 tonnes per person | +97.1% |
| 1995 | 0.0002 tonnes per person | -50.8% |
| 1996 | 0.0002 tonnes per person | -1.9% |
| 1997 | 0.0004 tonnes per person | +96.1% |
| 1998 | 0.0002 tonnes per person | -50.9% |
| 1999 | 0.0002 tonnes per person | -1.8% |
| 2000 | 0.0002 tonnes per person | -1.8% |
| 2001 | 0.0002 tonnes per person | -1.6% |
| 2002 | 0.0002 tonnes per person | -1.0% |
| 2003 | 0.0116 tonnes per person | +6153.9% |
| 2004 | 0.0115 tonnes per person | -0.7% |
| 2005 | 0.0114 tonnes per person | -0.6% |
| 2006 | 0.0112 tonnes per person | -2.2% |
| 2007 | 0.0079 tonnes per person | -29.5% |
| 2008 | 0.0107 tonnes per person | +35.4% |
| 2009 | 0.0108 tonnes per person | +1.0% |
| 2010 | 0.0109 tonnes per person | +1.1% |
| 2011 | 0.0539 tonnes per person | +395.4% |
| 2012 | 0.0907 tonnes per person | +68.3% |
| 2013 | 0.0945 tonnes per person | +4.2% |
| 2014 | 0.1799 tonnes per person | +90.3% |
| 2015 | 0.2401 tonnes per person | +33.4% |
| 2016 | 0.2521 tonnes per person | +5.0% |
| 2017 | 0.2591 tonnes per person | +2.8% |
| 2018 | 0.2485 tonnes per person | -4.1% |
| 2019 | 0.2634 tonnes per person | +6.0% |
| 2020 | 0.3144 tonnes per person | +19.4% |
| 2021 | 0.2725 tonnes per person | -13.3% |
| 2022 | 0.2576 tonnes per person | -5.5% |
| 2023 | 0.2299 tonnes per person | -10.7% |
| 2024 | 0.2697 tonnes per person | +17.3% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 0.2697 tonnes per person is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.1968 tonnes per person, 1.4× the median. (48 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 0.2697 tonnes per person is above the median for South Asia, which is 0.2697 tonnes per person, 1.0× the median. (5 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Per capita CO₂ emissions by source in Sri Lanka 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | +6153.9% | 0.0002 tonnes per person | 0.0116 tonnes per person |
| 1982 | +2268.7% | 0.0002 tonnes per person | 0.0058 tonnes per person |
| 1978 | +686.5% | 0.0003 tonnes per person | 0.002 tonnes per person |
| 1973 | +487.8% | 0.0003 tonnes per person | 0.0017 tonnes per person |
| 2011 | +395.4% | 0.0109 tonnes per person | 0.0539 tonnes per person |
| 1967 | +328.7% | 0.0075 tonnes per person | 0.0323 tonnes per person |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 0.0836 tonnes per person | 0.0449 tonnes per person | 0.1274 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.0316 tonnes per person | 0.0052 tonnes per person | 0.0713 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.0015 tonnes per person | 0.0003 tonnes per person | 0.0048 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.0013 tonnes per person | 0 tonnes per person | 0.0058 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.0003 tonnes per person | 0.0002 tonnes per person | 0.0004 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.0075 tonnes per person | 0.0002 tonnes per person | 0.0116 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.1693 tonnes per person | 0.0109 tonnes per person | 0.2634 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.2688 tonnes per person | 0.2299 tonnes per person | 0.3144 tonnes per person | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
More climate change data for Sri Lanka
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 327.09 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 3,418 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 618.46 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 2,800 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 2.33 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 100 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 4,168 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 2,071 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 2,097 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 7.82 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is per capita co₂ emissions by source in Sri Lanka?
- Per capita co₂ emissions by source in Sri Lanka was 0.2697 tonnes per person in 2024, according to Global Carbon Budget (2025); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest per capita co₂ emissions by source recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 0.3144 tonnes per person in 2020.
- What is the lowest per capita co₂ emissions by source recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 tonnes per person in 1987.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for per capita co₂ emissions by source?
- Sri Lanka ranks 69th out of 179 countries with data for 2024.
- Is per capita co₂ emissions by source rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is up 49.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sri Lanka 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 Per capita CO₂ emissions by source. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 75 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Annual emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂) from coal, measured in tonnes per person.