Per capita CO₂ emissions from transport in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Per capita CO₂ emissions from transport was 1,544 kilograms per person in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
1,544 kilograms per person
Change on year
down 1.6%
World rank
51st
of 191 countries
All-time high
2,120 kilograms per person
in 1999
All-time low
1,399 kilograms per person
in 2020
Years of data
34
1990–2023
Per capita CO₂ emissions from transport 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 1,544 kilograms per person for per capita co₂ emissions from transport in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.6% on the previous year and down 12.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, per capita co₂ emissions from transport in United Kingdom peaked at 2,120 kilograms per person in 1999 and was at its lowest, 1,399 kilograms per person, in 2020.
That places United Kingdom 51st out of 191 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 34 years of available data.
Per capita CO₂ emissions from transport in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | kilograms per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 2,004 kilograms per person | — |
| 1991 | 1,987 kilograms per person | -0.9% |
| 1992 | 2,007 kilograms per person | +1.0% |
| 1993 | 2,022 kilograms per person | +0.8% |
| 1994 | 2,024 kilograms per person | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 2,000 kilograms per person | -1.2% |
| 1996 | 2,073 kilograms per person | +3.6% |
| 1997 | 2,086 kilograms per person | +0.7% |
| 1998 | 2,067 kilograms per person | -0.9% |
| 1999 | 2,120 kilograms per person | +2.6% |
| 2000 | 2,082 kilograms per person | -1.8% |
| 2001 | 2,056 kilograms per person | -1.2% |
| 2002 | 2,069 kilograms per person | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 2,082 kilograms per person | +0.7% |
| 2004 | 2,094 kilograms per person | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 2,099 kilograms per person | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 2,111 kilograms per person | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 2,105 kilograms per person | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 1,979 kilograms per person | -6.0% |
| 2009 | 1,893 kilograms per person | -4.3% |
| 2010 | 1,855 kilograms per person | -2.0% |
| 2011 | 1,817 kilograms per person | -2.0% |
| 2012 | 1,797 kilograms per person | -1.1% |
| 2013 | 1,773 kilograms per person | -1.3% |
| 2014 | 1,783 kilograms per person | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 1,817 kilograms per person | +1.9% |
| 2016 | 1,846 kilograms per person | +1.6% |
| 2017 | 1,840 kilograms per person | -0.3% |
| 2018 | 1,806 kilograms per person | -1.8% |
| 2019 | 1,767 kilograms per person | -2.2% |
| 2020 | 1,399 kilograms per person | -20.8% |
| 2021 | 1,550 kilograms per person | +10.8% |
| 2022 | 1,569 kilograms per person | +1.3% |
| 2023 | 1,544 kilograms per person | -1.6% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 1,544 kilograms per person is below the median for high income countries, which is 1,818 kilograms per person, 85% of the median. (60 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 1,544 kilograms per person is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 1,518 kilograms per person, 1.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 2,039 kilograms per person | 1,987 kilograms per person | 2,120 kilograms per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 2,057 kilograms per person | 1,893 kilograms per person | 2,111 kilograms per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 1,810 kilograms per person | 1,767 kilograms per person | 1,855 kilograms per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 1,516 kilograms per person | 1,399 kilograms per person | 1,569 kilograms per person | 4 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
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 from transport in United Kingdom?
- Per capita co₂ emissions from transport in United Kingdom was 1,544 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 United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 2,120 kilograms per person in 1999.
- What is the lowest per capita co₂ emissions from transport recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,399 kilograms per person in 2020.
- How does United Kingdom rank for per capita co₂ emissions from transport?
- United Kingdom ranks 51st out of 191 countries with data for 2023.
- Is per capita co₂ emissions from transport rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is down 12.9%. 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 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.