Per capita CO₂ emissions relative to the global average in Iceland
Iceland: Per capita CO₂ emissions relative to the global average was 9.67 tonnes per person in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
9.67 tonnes per person
Change on year
up 6.8%
World rank
27th
of 213 countries
All-time high
12 tonnes per person
in 2008
All-time low
0.157 tonnes per person
in 1937
Years of data
87
1936–2024
Per capita CO₂ emissions relative to the global average in Iceland, 1936–2024
Source: Global Carbon Budget (2025); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes per person.
Analysis
The most recent figure for per capita co₂ emissions relative to the global average in Iceland is 9.67 tonnes per person, measured in 2024.
The figure is up 6.8% on the previous year and down 8.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, per capita co₂ emissions relative to the global average in Iceland peaked at 12 tonnes per person in 2008 and was at its lowest, 0.157 tonnes per person, in 1937.
That places Iceland 27th out of 213 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 87 years of available data.
Per capita CO₂ emissions relative to the global average in Iceland, year by year
| Year | tonnes per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1936 | 0.1903 tonnes per person | — |
| 1937 | 0.157 tonnes per person | -17.5% |
| 1940 | 3.52 tonnes per person | +2139.8% |
| 1941 | 3.36 tonnes per person | -4.4% |
| 1942 | 3.51 tonnes per person | +4.5% |
| 1943 | 3.73 tonnes per person | +6.1% |
| 1944 | 3.52 tonnes per person | -5.6% |
| 1945 | 3.3 tonnes per person | -6.1% |
| 1946 | 3.83 tonnes per person | +16.0% |
| 1947 | 4.43 tonnes per person | +15.7% |
| 1948 | 5.24 tonnes per person | +18.4% |
| 1949 | 5.3 tonnes per person | +1.1% |
| 1950 | 5.19 tonnes per person | -2.2% |
| 1951 | 4.43 tonnes per person | -14.5% |
| 1952 | 5.26 tonnes per person | +18.5% |
| 1953 | 6.08 tonnes per person | +15.6% |
| 1954 | 5.06 tonnes per person | -16.7% |
| 1955 | 5.78 tonnes per person | +14.3% |
| 1956 | 5.89 tonnes per person | +1.9% |
| 1957 | 5.85 tonnes per person | -0.7% |
| 1958 | 6.48 tonnes per person | +10.8% |
| 1959 | 7.2 tonnes per person | +11.1% |
| 1960 | 6.91 tonnes per person | -4.1% |
| 1961 | 6.1 tonnes per person | -11.7% |
| 1962 | 6.57 tonnes per person | +7.7% |
| 1963 | 7.02 tonnes per person | +6.9% |
| 1964 | 6.92 tonnes per person | -1.5% |
| 1965 | 7.26 tonnes per person | +4.9% |
| 1966 | 7.64 tonnes per person | +5.3% |
| 1967 | 7.26 tonnes per person | -5.0% |
| 1968 | 7.91 tonnes per person | +8.9% |
| 1969 | 6.21 tonnes per person | -21.4% |
| 1970 | 6.79 tonnes per person | +9.3% |
| 1971 | 7.14 tonnes per person | +5.2% |
| 1972 | 7.09 tonnes per person | -0.7% |
| 1973 | 8.24 tonnes per person | +16.3% |
| 1974 | 8.08 tonnes per person | -2.0% |
| 1975 | 7.4 tonnes per person | -8.4% |
| 1976 | 7.73 tonnes per person | +4.4% |
| 1977 | 8.58 tonnes per person | +11.0% |
| 1978 | 8.59 tonnes per person | +0.2% |
| 1979 | 8.78 tonnes per person | +2.2% |
| 1980 | 8.16 tonnes per person | -7.1% |
| 1981 | 7.58 tonnes per person | -7.2% |
| 1982 | 6.82 tonnes per person | -10.0% |
| 1983 | 6.51 tonnes per person | -4.5% |
| 1984 | 7.56 tonnes per person | +16.1% |
| 1985 | 6.72 tonnes per person | -11.0% |
| 1986 | 7.32 tonnes per person | +8.9% |
| 1987 | 7.5 tonnes per person | +2.5% |
| 1988 | 7.37 tonnes per person | -1.8% |
| 1989 | 7.5 tonnes per person | +1.7% |
| 1990 | 8.72 tonnes per person | +16.3% |
| 1991 | 8.16 tonnes per person | -6.4% |
| 1992 | 8.62 tonnes per person | +5.6% |
| 1993 | 9.1 tonnes per person | +5.6% |
| 1994 | 8.83 tonnes per person | -3.0% |
| 1995 | 9.23 tonnes per person | +4.5% |
| 1996 | 9.38 tonnes per person | +1.6% |
| 1997 | 9.66 tonnes per person | +2.9% |
| 1998 | 9.62 tonnes per person | -0.3% |
| 1999 | 10.24 tonnes per person | +6.4% |
| 2000 | 10.43 tonnes per person | +1.8% |
| 2001 | 10.05 tonnes per person | -3.6% |
| 2002 | 10.4 tonnes per person | +3.5% |
| 2003 | 10.31 tonnes per person | -0.9% |
| 2004 | 10.63 tonnes per person | +3.2% |
| 2005 | 10.03 tonnes per person | -5.7% |
| 2006 | 10.38 tonnes per person | +3.5% |
| 2007 | 11.21 tonnes per person | +8.0% |
| 2008 | 12 tonnes per person | +7.1% |
| 2009 | 11.71 tonnes per person | -2.5% |
| 2010 | 11.4 tonnes per person | -2.6% |
| 2011 | 10.98 tonnes per person | -3.7% |
| 2012 | 10.91 tonnes per person | -0.7% |
| 2013 | 10.77 tonnes per person | -1.2% |
| 2014 | 10.52 tonnes per person | -2.3% |
| 2015 | 10.7 tonnes per person | +1.7% |
| 2016 | 10.41 tonnes per person | -2.7% |
| 2017 | 10.51 tonnes per person | +1.0% |
| 2018 | 10.39 tonnes per person | -1.2% |
| 2019 | 9.85 tonnes per person | -5.2% |
| 2020 | 9.11 tonnes per person | -7.5% |
| 2021 | 9.37 tonnes per person | +2.9% |
| 2022 | 9.46 tonnes per person | +1.0% |
| 2023 | 9.05 tonnes per person | -4.3% |
| 2024 | 9.67 tonnes per person | +6.8% |
Iceland compared with similar countries
- Iceland's 9.67 tonnes per person is above the median for high income countries, which is 6.14 tonnes per person, 1.6× the median. (74 countries reporting)
- Iceland's 9.67 tonnes per person is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 5.13 tonnes per person, 1.9× the median. (52 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Per capita CO₂ emissions relative to the global average in Iceland 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1940 | +2139.8% | 0.157 tonnes per person | 3.52 tonnes per person |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1930s | 0.1736 tonnes per person | 0.157 tonnes per person | 0.1903 tonnes per person | 2 |
| 1940s | 3.97 tonnes per person | 3.3 tonnes per person | 5.3 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1950s | 5.72 tonnes per person | 4.43 tonnes per person | 7.2 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1960s | 6.98 tonnes per person | 6.1 tonnes per person | 7.91 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1970s | 7.84 tonnes per person | 6.79 tonnes per person | 8.78 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1980s | 7.3 tonnes per person | 6.51 tonnes per person | 8.16 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 9.15 tonnes per person | 8.16 tonnes per person | 10.24 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 10.72 tonnes per person | 10.03 tonnes per person | 12 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.64 tonnes per person | 9.85 tonnes per person | 11.4 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.33 tonnes per person | 9.05 tonnes per person | 9.67 tonnes per person | 5 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
More climate change data for Iceland
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 16.80 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 462.45 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 110.24 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 352.21 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 0.416 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 12.58 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 92.86 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 92.86 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 0.3504 kt (2050)
- Synthetic Fertilizers — Emissions (CO2eq) 92.72 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is per capita co₂ emissions relative to the global average in Iceland?
- Per capita co₂ emissions relative to the global average in Iceland was 9.67 tonnes per person in 2024, according to Global Carbon Budget (2025); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest per capita co₂ emissions relative to the global average recorded in Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 12 tonnes per person in 2008.
- What is the lowest per capita co₂ emissions relative to the global average recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.157 tonnes per person in 1937.
- How does Iceland rank for per capita co₂ emissions relative to the global average?
- Iceland ranks 27th out of 213 countries with data for 2024.
- Is per capita co₂ emissions relative to the global average rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iceland data come from?
- The figures come from Global Carbon Budget (2025); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Per capita CO₂ emissions relative to the global average. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 87 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions from burning fossil fuels and industrial processes. This includes emissions from transport, electricity generation, and heating, but not land-use change.