Per capita CO₂ emissions relative to the global average in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Per capita CO₂ emissions relative to the global average was 0.9014 tonnes per person in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
0.9014 tonnes per person
Change on year
up 8.0%
World rank
161st
of 213 countries
All-time high
1.02 tonnes per person
in 2016
All-time low
0.161 tonnes per person
in 1956
Years of data
75
1950–2024
Per capita CO₂ emissions relative to the global average in Sri Lanka, 1950–2024
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 Sri Lanka is 0.9014 tonnes per person, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 8.0% on the previous year and up 13.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, per capita co₂ emissions relative to the global average in Sri Lanka peaked at 1.02 tonnes per person in 2016 and was at its lowest, 0.161 tonnes per person, in 1956.
That places Sri Lanka 161st out of 213 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Per capita CO₂ emissions relative to the global average in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | tonnes per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 0.2083 tonnes per person | — |
| 1951 | 0.1943 tonnes per person | -6.7% |
| 1952 | 0.2389 tonnes per person | +23.0% |
| 1953 | 0.2497 tonnes per person | +4.5% |
| 1954 | 0.2112 tonnes per person | -15.4% |
| 1955 | 0.1929 tonnes per person | -8.7% |
| 1956 | 0.161 tonnes per person | -16.5% |
| 1957 | 0.2576 tonnes per person | +60.1% |
| 1958 | 0.2116 tonnes per person | -17.9% |
| 1959 | 0.2179 tonnes per person | +3.0% |
| 1960 | 0.2336 tonnes per person | +7.2% |
| 1961 | 0.2357 tonnes per person | +0.9% |
| 1962 | 0.2524 tonnes per person | +7.1% |
| 1963 | 0.2435 tonnes per person | -3.5% |
| 1964 | 0.2132 tonnes per person | -12.5% |
| 1965 | 0.2433 tonnes per person | +14.1% |
| 1966 | 0.2378 tonnes per person | -2.3% |
| 1967 | 0.257 tonnes per person | +8.1% |
| 1968 | 0.2759 tonnes per person | +7.3% |
| 1969 | 0.3592 tonnes per person | +30.2% |
| 1970 | 0.2924 tonnes per person | -18.6% |
| 1971 | 0.2542 tonnes per person | -13.1% |
| 1972 | 0.2757 tonnes per person | +8.5% |
| 1973 | 0.2813 tonnes per person | +2.0% |
| 1974 | 0.219 tonnes per person | -22.1% |
| 1975 | 0.2124 tonnes per person | -3.0% |
| 1976 | 0.2016 tonnes per person | -5.1% |
| 1977 | 0.2061 tonnes per person | +2.2% |
| 1978 | 0.2382 tonnes per person | +15.6% |
| 1979 | 0.2593 tonnes per person | +8.8% |
| 1980 | 0.2263 tonnes per person | -12.7% |
| 1981 | 0.2631 tonnes per person | +16.3% |
| 1982 | 0.2899 tonnes per person | +10.2% |
| 1983 | 0.3136 tonnes per person | +8.2% |
| 1984 | 0.2476 tonnes per person | -21.1% |
| 1985 | 0.2496 tonnes per person | +0.8% |
| 1986 | 0.2303 tonnes per person | -7.7% |
| 1987 | 0.2506 tonnes per person | +8.8% |
| 1988 | 0.2133 tonnes per person | -14.9% |
| 1989 | 0.2104 tonnes per person | -1.3% |
| 1990 | 0.2325 tonnes per person | +10.5% |
| 1991 | 0.2493 tonnes per person | +7.2% |
| 1992 | 0.3008 tonnes per person | +20.7% |
| 1993 | 0.2885 tonnes per person | -4.1% |
| 1994 | 0.3092 tonnes per person | +7.2% |
| 1995 | 0.3255 tonnes per person | +5.3% |
| 1996 | 0.3833 tonnes per person | +17.8% |
| 1997 | 0.4056 tonnes per person | +5.8% |
| 1998 | 0.4098 tonnes per person | +1.1% |
| 1999 | 0.4424 tonnes per person | +7.9% |
| 2000 | 0.5178 tonnes per person | +17.0% |
| 2001 | 0.5182 tonnes per person | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 0.5446 tonnes per person | +5.1% |
| 2003 | 0.5394 tonnes per person | -1.0% |
| 2004 | 0.5928 tonnes per person | +9.9% |
| 2005 | 0.5772 tonnes per person | -2.6% |
| 2006 | 0.5652 tonnes per person | -2.1% |
| 2007 | 0.5779 tonnes per person | +2.3% |
| 2008 | 0.5646 tonnes per person | -2.3% |
| 2009 | 0.6057 tonnes per person | +7.3% |
| 2010 | 0.6081 tonnes per person | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 0.689 tonnes per person | +13.3% |
| 2012 | 0.727 tonnes per person | +5.5% |
| 2013 | 0.6622 tonnes per person | -8.9% |
| 2014 | 0.7925 tonnes per person | +19.7% |
| 2015 | 0.8826 tonnes per person | +11.4% |
| 2016 | 1.02 tonnes per person | +15.5% |
| 2017 | 1 tonnes per person | -1.6% |
| 2018 | 0.9049 tonnes per person | -9.8% |
| 2019 | 0.9418 tonnes per person | +4.1% |
| 2020 | 0.9047 tonnes per person | -3.9% |
| 2021 | 0.9173 tonnes per person | +1.4% |
| 2022 | 0.8048 tonnes per person | -12.3% |
| 2023 | 0.8343 tonnes per person | +3.7% |
| 2024 | 0.9014 tonnes per person | +8.0% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 0.9014 tonnes per person is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 3.04 tonnes per person, 30% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 0.9014 tonnes per person is below the median for South Asia, which is 1.5 tonnes per person, 60% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Per capita CO₂ emissions relative to the global average in Sri Lanka 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1957 | +60.1% | 0.161 tonnes per person | 0.2576 tonnes per person |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 0.2143 tonnes per person | 0.161 tonnes per person | 0.2576 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.2552 tonnes per person | 0.2132 tonnes per person | 0.3592 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.244 tonnes per person | 0.2016 tonnes per person | 0.2924 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.2495 tonnes per person | 0.2104 tonnes per person | 0.3136 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.3347 tonnes per person | 0.2325 tonnes per person | 0.4424 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.5604 tonnes per person | 0.5178 tonnes per person | 0.6057 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.8231 tonnes per person | 0.6081 tonnes per person | 1.02 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.8725 tonnes per person | 0.8048 tonnes per person | 0.9173 tonnes per person | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
More climate change data for Sri Lanka
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 327.09 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 3,418 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 618.46 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 2,800 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 2.33 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 100 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 4,168 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 2,071 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 2,097 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 7.82 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is per capita co₂ emissions relative to the global average in Sri Lanka?
- Per capita co₂ emissions relative to the global average in Sri Lanka was 0.9014 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 Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 1.02 tonnes per person in 2016.
- What is the lowest per capita co₂ emissions relative to the global average recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.161 tonnes per person in 1956.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for per capita co₂ emissions relative to the global average?
- Sri Lanka ranks 161st out of 213 countries with data for 2024.
- Is per capita co₂ emissions relative to the global average rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is up 13.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sri Lanka 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 — 75 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.