Per capita CO₂ emissions by sector in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Per capita CO₂ emissions by sector was 1,028 kilograms per person in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
1,028 kilograms per person
Change on year
down 6.6%
World rank
16th
of 187 countries
All-time high
1,930 kilograms per person
in 1996
All-time low
1,028 kilograms per person
in 2023
Years of data
34
1990–2023
Per capita CO₂ emissions by sector in United Kingdom, 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
United Kingdom recorded 1,028 kilograms per person for per capita co₂ emissions by sector in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 34 years on record.
The figure is down 6.6% on the previous year and down 27.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, per capita co₂ emissions by sector in United Kingdom peaked at 1,930 kilograms per person in 1996 and was at its lowest, 1,028 kilograms per person, in 2023.
United Kingdom ranks 16th of 187 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 34 years of available data.
Per capita CO₂ emissions by sector in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | kilograms per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 1,667 kilograms per person | — |
| 1991 | 1,807 kilograms per person | +8.4% |
| 1992 | 1,756 kilograms per person | -2.9% |
| 1993 | 1,790 kilograms per person | +2.0% |
| 1994 | 1,817 kilograms per person | +1.5% |
| 1995 | 1,743 kilograms per person | -4.1% |
| 1996 | 1,930 kilograms per person | +10.7% |
| 1997 | 1,783 kilograms per person | -7.6% |
| 1998 | 1,807 kilograms per person | +1.3% |
| 1999 | 1,734 kilograms per person | -4.0% |
| 2000 | 1,726 kilograms per person | -0.5% |
| 2001 | 1,774 kilograms per person | +2.8% |
| 2002 | 1,690 kilograms per person | -4.7% |
| 2003 | 1,688 kilograms per person | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 1,730 kilograms per person | +2.5% |
| 2005 | 1,646 kilograms per person | -4.9% |
| 2006 | 1,564 kilograms per person | -5.0% |
| 2007 | 1,483 kilograms per person | -5.2% |
| 2008 | 1,547 kilograms per person | +4.3% |
| 2009 | 1,457 kilograms per person | -5.8% |
| 2010 | 1,617 kilograms per person | +10.9% |
| 2011 | 1,296 kilograms per person | -19.8% |
| 2012 | 1,414 kilograms per person | +9.1% |
| 2013 | 1,425 kilograms per person | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 1,198 kilograms per person | -15.9% |
| 2015 | 1,247 kilograms per person | +4.1% |
| 2016 | 1,199 kilograms per person | -3.8% |
| 2017 | 1,170 kilograms per person | -2.5% |
| 2018 | 1,190 kilograms per person | +1.7% |
| 2019 | 1,147 kilograms per person | -3.6% |
| 2020 | 1,239 kilograms per person | +8.0% |
| 2021 | 1,317 kilograms per person | +6.4% |
| 2022 | 1,100 kilograms per person | -16.5% |
| 2023 | 1,028 kilograms per person | -6.6% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 1,028 kilograms per person is above the median for high income countries, which is 461.71 kilograms per person, 2.2× the median. (60 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 1,028 kilograms per person is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 509.82 kilograms per person, 2.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1,784 kilograms per person | 1,667 kilograms per person | 1,930 kilograms per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 1,631 kilograms per person | 1,457 kilograms per person | 1,774 kilograms per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 1,290 kilograms per person | 1,147 kilograms per person | 1,617 kilograms per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 1,171 kilograms per person | 1,028 kilograms per person | 1,317 kilograms per person | 4 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
- 13 Ireland 1,245 kilograms per person compare
- 14 Germany 1,227 kilograms per person compare
- 15 Antigua and Barbuda 1,179 kilograms per person compare
- 17 Switzerland 1,025 kilograms per person compare
- 18 Bahamas 976.34 kilograms per person compare
- 19 Azerbaijan 955.59 kilograms per person compare
More climate change data for United Kingdom
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 37,706 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 8,697 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 29,008 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 32.82 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 1,036 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 7,083 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 7,027 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 55.89 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 26.52 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 2 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is per capita co₂ emissions by sector in United Kingdom?
- Per capita co₂ emissions by sector in United Kingdom was 1,028 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 United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 1,930 kilograms per person in 1996.
- What is the lowest per capita co₂ emissions by sector recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,028 kilograms per person in 2023.
- How does United Kingdom rank for per capita co₂ emissions by sector?
- United Kingdom ranks 16th out of 187 countries with data for 2023.
- Is per capita co₂ emissions by sector rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is down 27.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United Kingdom 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.