Per capita CO₂ emissions from transport in China
China: Per capita CO₂ emissions from transport was 736.95 kilograms per person in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
736.95 kilograms per person
Change on year
up 5.7%
World rank
105th
of 191 countries
All-time high
770.7 kilograms per person
in 2021
All-time low
81.62 kilograms per person
in 1990
Years of data
34
1990–2023
Per capita CO₂ emissions from transport in China, 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
China recorded 736.95 kilograms per person for per capita co₂ emissions from transport in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 5.7% on the previous year and up 37.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, per capita co₂ emissions from transport in China peaked at 770.7 kilograms per person in 2021 and was at its lowest, 81.62 kilograms per person, in 1990.
China ranks 105th of 191 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.
Per capita CO₂ emissions from transport in China, year by year
| Year | kilograms per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 81.62 kilograms per person | — |
| 1991 | 85.94 kilograms per person | +5.3% |
| 1992 | 93.79 kilograms per person | +9.1% |
| 1993 | 104.98 kilograms per person | +11.9% |
| 1994 | 96.24 kilograms per person | -8.3% |
| 1995 | 104.39 kilograms per person | +8.5% |
| 1996 | 137.98 kilograms per person | +32.2% |
| 1997 | 117.74 kilograms per person | -14.7% |
| 1998 | 112.16 kilograms per person | -4.7% |
| 1999 | 124.87 kilograms per person | +11.3% |
| 2000 | 195.72 kilograms per person | +56.7% |
| 2001 | 198.83 kilograms per person | +1.6% |
| 2002 | 214.82 kilograms per person | +8.0% |
| 2003 | 241.9 kilograms per person | +12.6% |
| 2004 | 285.03 kilograms per person | +17.8% |
| 2005 | 303.28 kilograms per person | +6.4% |
| 2006 | 329.89 kilograms per person | +8.8% |
| 2007 | 353.43 kilograms per person | +7.1% |
| 2008 | 380.16 kilograms per person | +7.6% |
| 2009 | 385.15 kilograms per person | +1.3% |
| 2010 | 420.83 kilograms per person | +9.3% |
| 2011 | 457.19 kilograms per person | +8.6% |
| 2012 | 501 kilograms per person | +9.6% |
| 2013 | 537.41 kilograms per person | +7.3% |
| 2014 | 555.03 kilograms per person | +3.3% |
| 2015 | 593.4 kilograms per person | +6.9% |
| 2016 | 602.09 kilograms per person | +1.5% |
| 2017 | 621.53 kilograms per person | +3.2% |
| 2018 | 676.98 kilograms per person | +8.9% |
| 2019 | 713.52 kilograms per person | +5.4% |
| 2020 | 725.55 kilograms per person | +1.7% |
| 2021 | 770.7 kilograms per person | +6.2% |
| 2022 | 697.41 kilograms per person | -9.5% |
| 2023 | 736.95 kilograms per person | +5.7% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 736.95 kilograms per person is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 958.62 kilograms per person, 77% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- China's 736.95 kilograms per person is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 742.98 kilograms per person, 99% of the median. (30 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Per capita CO₂ emissions from transport in China 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | +56.7% | 124.87 kilograms per person | 195.72 kilograms per person |
| 1996 | +32.2% | 104.39 kilograms per person | 137.98 kilograms per person |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 105.97 kilograms per person | 81.62 kilograms per person | 137.98 kilograms per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 288.82 kilograms per person | 195.72 kilograms per person | 385.15 kilograms per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 567.9 kilograms per person | 420.83 kilograms per person | 713.52 kilograms per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 732.65 kilograms per person | 697.41 kilograms per person | 770.7 kilograms per person | 4 |
Countries ranked near China
- 102 Dominica 751.53 kilograms per person compare
- 103 Vanuatu 749.01 kilograms per person compare
- 104 Colombia 747.31 kilograms per person compare
- 106 Dominican Republic 722.78 kilograms per person compare
- 107 Moldova 714.04 kilograms per person compare
- 108 Micronesia (country) 710.19 kilograms per person compare
More climate change data for China
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 31.25 billion kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 604,831 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 191,478 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 413,353 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 722.56 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 14,763 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 342,069 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 200,605 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 141,464 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 757 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is per capita co₂ emissions from transport in China?
- Per capita co₂ emissions from transport in China was 736.95 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 from transport recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 770.7 kilograms per person in 2021.
- What is the lowest per capita co₂ emissions from transport recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 81.62 kilograms per person in 1990.
- How does China rank for per capita co₂ emissions from transport?
- China ranks 105th out of 191 countries with data for 2023.
- Is per capita co₂ emissions from transport rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 37.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China 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 from transport. 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.