Per capita CO₂ emissions by sector in Zambia
Zambia: Per capita CO₂ emissions by sector was 3.38 kilograms per person in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Per capita CO₂ emissions by sector in Zambia, 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
In 2023, per capita co₂ emissions by sector in Zambia stood at 3.38 kilograms per person.
That represents a change of up 36.1% on the previous year and down 62.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, per capita co₂ emissions by sector in Zambia peaked at 28.26 kilograms per person in 1990 and was at its lowest, 1.53 kilograms per person, in 2021.
Zambia ranks 170th of 187 countries on this measure, in the bottom 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 | 19.66 kilograms per person | 12.22 kilograms per person | 28.26 kilograms per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 10.05 kilograms per person | 3.98 kilograms per person | 14.11 kilograms per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.93 kilograms per person | 3.24 kilograms per person | 9.09 kilograms per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.77 kilograms per person | 1.53 kilograms per person | 3.67 kilograms per person | 4 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
- 167 Madagascar 5.45 kilograms per person compare
- 168 Mozambique 4.76 kilograms per person compare
- 169 Ethiopia 4.43 kilograms per person compare
- 171 Malawi 3.32 kilograms per person compare
- 172 Uganda 2.67 kilograms per person compare
- 173 South Sudan 2.61 kilograms per person compare
More climate change data for Zambia
- Share of global CO₂ emissions and population 0.6% (2100)
- Population growth 2.8% (2025)
- Population, total 21.91 million (2025)
- Urban population growth 3.7% (2025)
- Urban population 10.06 million (2025)
- Urban population 45.9% (2025)
- CO₂ emissions per capita vs. GDP per capita 0.565 tonnes per person (2024)
- Cumulative CO₂ emissions 300.84 million tonnes (2024)
- CO₂ emissions per capita 0.565 tonnes per person (2024)
- CO₂ emissions per capita vs. share of electricity generation from renewables 0.565 tonnes per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is per capita co₂ emissions by sector in Zambia?
- Per capita co₂ emissions by sector in Zambia was 3.38 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 Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 28.26 kilograms per person in 1990.
- What is the lowest per capita co₂ emissions by sector recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.53 kilograms per person in 2021.
- How does Zambia rank for per capita co₂ emissions by sector?
- Zambia ranks 170th out of 187 countries with data for 2023.
- Is per capita co₂ emissions by sector rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 62.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Zambia 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.
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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.