Per capita CO₂ emissions by fuel type in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Per capita CO₂ emissions by fuel type was 2.31 tonnes per person in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
2.31 tonnes per person
Change on year
up 2.5%
World rank
78th
of 213 countries
All-time high
5.2 tonnes per person
in 1973
All-time low
0 tonnes per person
in 1750
Years of data
230
1750–2024
Per capita CO₂ emissions by fuel type in United Kingdom, 1750–2024
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
The most recent figure for per capita co₂ emissions by fuel type in United Kingdom is 2.31 tonnes per person, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of up 2.5% on the previous year and down 10.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, per capita co₂ emissions by fuel type in United Kingdom peaked at 5.2 tonnes per person in 1973 and was at its lowest, 0 tonnes per person, in 1750.
United Kingdom ranks 78th of 213 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1750s | 0 tonnes per person | 0 tonnes per person | 0 tonnes per person | 1 |
| 1760s | 0 tonnes per person | 0 tonnes per person | 0 tonnes per person | 1 |
| 1770s | 0 tonnes per person | 0 tonnes per person | 0 tonnes per person | 1 |
| 1780s | 0 tonnes per person | 0 tonnes per person | 0 tonnes per person | 1 |
| 1790s | 0 tonnes per person | 0 tonnes per person | 0 tonnes per person | 1 |
| 1800s | 0 tonnes per person | 0 tonnes per person | 0 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1810s | 0 tonnes per person | 0 tonnes per person | 0 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1820s | 0 tonnes per person | 0 tonnes per person | 0 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1830s | 0 tonnes per person | 0 tonnes per person | 0 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1840s | 0 tonnes per person | 0 tonnes per person | 0 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1850s | 0.0001 tonnes per person | 0 tonnes per person | 0.0004 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1860s | 0.0016 tonnes per person | 0 tonnes per person | 0.003 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1870s | 0.0076 tonnes per person | 0.0024 tonnes per person | 0.0151 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1880s | 0.0233 tonnes per person | 0.0135 tonnes per person | 0.0332 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1890s | 0.0517 tonnes per person | 0.0336 tonnes per person | 0.0706 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1900s | 0.0836 tonnes per person | 0.0734 tonnes per person | 0.0966 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1910s | 0.1611 tonnes per person | 0.0926 tonnes per person | 0.3424 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1920s | 0.3558 tonnes per person | 0.2088 tonnes per person | 0.4601 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.5388 tonnes per person | 0.4658 tonnes per person | 0.6095 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.7316 tonnes per person | 0.5356 tonnes per person | 1.02 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1950s | 1.37 tonnes per person | 0.8373 tonnes per person | 2.19 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1960s | 3.34 tonnes per person | 2.46 tonnes per person | 4.29 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1970s | 4.64 tonnes per person | 4.2 tonnes per person | 5.2 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.64 tonnes per person | 3.32 tonnes per person | 4.23 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.67 tonnes per person | 3.43 tonnes per person | 3.8 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.22 tonnes per person | 2.88 tonnes per person | 3.36 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.64 tonnes per person | 2.52 tonnes per person | 2.85 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.21 tonnes per person | 2.14 tonnes per person | 2.31 tonnes per person | 5 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More climate change data for United Kingdom
- Share of global CO₂ emissions and population 0.7% (2100)
- Population growth 0.3% (2025)
- Population, total 69.49 million (2025)
- Urban population growth 0.4% (2025)
- Urban population 57.90 million (2025)
- Urban population 83.3% (2025)
- CO₂ emissions per capita vs. GDP per capita 4.53 tonnes per person (2024)
- Cumulative CO₂ emissions 80.08 billion tonnes (2024)
- CO₂ emissions per capita 4.53 tonnes per person (2024)
- CO₂ emissions per capita vs. share of electricity generation from renewables 4.53 tonnes per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is per capita co₂ emissions by fuel type in United Kingdom?
- Per capita co₂ emissions by fuel type in United Kingdom was 2.31 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 fuel type recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 5.2 tonnes per person in 1973.
- What is the lowest per capita co₂ emissions by fuel type recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 tonnes per person in 1750.
- How does United Kingdom rank for per capita co₂ emissions by fuel type?
- United Kingdom ranks 78th out of 213 countries with data for 2024.
- Is per capita co₂ emissions by fuel type rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United Kingdom 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 fuel type. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 230 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Annual emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂) from oil, measured in tonnes per person.