Per capita CO₂ emissions by sector in Malawi
Malawi: Per capita CO₂ emissions by sector was 3.32 kilograms per person in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Per capita CO₂ emissions by sector in Malawi, 1990–2023
Source: Climate Watch (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in kilograms per person.
Analysis
Malawi recorded 3.32 kilograms per person for per capita co₂ emissions by sector in 2023.
That represents a change of down 2.5% on the previous year and up 436.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, per capita co₂ emissions by sector in Malawi peaked at 10.86 kilograms per person in 1999 and was at its lowest, 0 kilograms per person, in 2015.
That places Malawi 171st out of 187 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.
Per capita CO₂ emissions by sector in Malawi, year by year
| Year | kilograms per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 3.14 kilograms per person | — |
| 1991 | 5.08 kilograms per person | +61.6% |
| 1992 | 4.93 kilograms per person | -2.9% |
| 1993 | 4.86 kilograms per person | -1.4% |
| 1994 | 5.9 kilograms per person | +21.4% |
| 1995 | 5.91 kilograms per person | +0.1% |
| 1996 | 5.8 kilograms per person | -2.0% |
| 1997 | 5.68 kilograms per person | -2.0% |
| 1998 | 7.41 kilograms per person | +30.5% |
| 1999 | 10.86 kilograms per person | +46.5% |
| 2000 | 7.07 kilograms per person | -34.9% |
| 2001 | 4.31 kilograms per person | -39.0% |
| 2002 | 5.05 kilograms per person | +17.1% |
| 2003 | 4.93 kilograms per person | -2.5% |
| 2004 | 5.6 kilograms per person | +13.7% |
| 2005 | 4.67 kilograms per person | -16.6% |
| 2006 | 4.55 kilograms per person | -2.7% |
| 2007 | 3.68 kilograms per person | -19.0% |
| 2008 | 3.58 kilograms per person | -2.9% |
| 2009 | 2.78 kilograms per person | -22.3% |
| 2010 | 2.7 kilograms per person | -2.9% |
| 2011 | 1.97 kilograms per person | -27.2% |
| 2012 | 1.27 kilograms per person | -35.2% |
| 2013 | 0.6187 kilograms per person | -51.4% |
| 2014 | 0.6016 kilograms per person | -2.8% |
| 2015 | 0 kilograms per person | -100.0% |
| 2016 | 0.5695 kilograms per person | — |
| 2017 | 0 kilograms per person | -100.0% |
| 2018 | 0.5397 kilograms per person | — |
| 2019 | 0.5256 kilograms per person | -2.6% |
| 2020 | 3.07 kilograms per person | +484.4% |
| 2021 | 2.99 kilograms per person | -2.6% |
| 2022 | 3.4 kilograms per person | +13.7% |
| 2023 | 3.32 kilograms per person | -2.5% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 3.32 kilograms per person is below the median for low income countries, which is 5.1 kilograms per person, 65% of the median. (24 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 3.32 kilograms per person is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 18.63 kilograms per person, 18% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Per capita CO₂ emissions by sector in Malawi 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +484.4% | 0.5256 kilograms per person | 3.07 kilograms per person |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 5.96 kilograms per person | 3.14 kilograms per person | 10.86 kilograms per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.62 kilograms per person | 2.78 kilograms per person | 7.07 kilograms per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.8792 kilograms per person | 0 kilograms per person | 2.7 kilograms per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.2 kilograms per person | 2.99 kilograms per person | 3.4 kilograms per person | 4 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More climate change data for Malawi
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 415.04 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 4,106 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 1,605 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 2,501 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 6.06 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 89.31 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 3,185 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 2,819 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 366.56 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 10.64 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is per capita co₂ emissions by sector in Malawi?
- Per capita co₂ emissions by sector in Malawi was 3.32 kilograms per person in 2023, according to Climate Watch (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest per capita co₂ emissions by sector recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 10.86 kilograms per person in 1999.
- What is the lowest per capita co₂ emissions by sector recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 kilograms per person in 2015.
- How does Malawi rank for per capita co₂ emissions by sector?
- Malawi ranks 171st out of 187 countries with data for 2023.
- Is per capita co₂ emissions by sector rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 436.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from Climate Watch (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Per capita CO₂ 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 kilograms per person.