Per capita CO₂ emissions relative to the global average in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Per capita CO₂ emissions relative to the global average was 4.53 tonnes per person in 2024. ▲ Rising
Per capita CO₂ emissions relative to the global average in United Kingdom, 1750–2024
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
In 2024, per capita co₂ emissions relative to the global average in United Kingdom stood at 4.53 tonnes per person.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.0% on the previous year and down 33.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, per capita co₂ emissions relative to the global average in United Kingdom peaked at 11.82 tonnes per person in 1971 and was at its lowest, 1 tonnes per person, in 1750.
That places United Kingdom 77th out of 213 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 230 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1750s | 1 tonnes per person | 1 tonnes per person | 1 tonnes per person | 1 |
| 1760s | 1.07 tonnes per person | 1.07 tonnes per person | 1.07 tonnes per person | 1 |
| 1770s | 1.26 tonnes per person | 1.26 tonnes per person | 1.26 tonnes per person | 1 |
| 1780s | 1.45 tonnes per person | 1.45 tonnes per person | 1.45 tonnes per person | 1 |
| 1790s | 1.77 tonnes per person | 1.77 tonnes per person | 1.77 tonnes per person | 1 |
| 1800s | 2.74 tonnes per person | 2.48 tonnes per person | 2.92 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1810s | 2.51 tonnes per person | 2.17 tonnes per person | 2.87 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1820s | 2.15 tonnes per person | 2.04 tonnes per person | 2.24 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1830s | 2.76 tonnes per person | 2.49 tonnes per person | 3.06 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1840s | 3.54 tonnes per person | 3.04 tonnes per person | 4.32 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1850s | 4.65 tonnes per person | 4.17 tonnes per person | 5.21 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1860s | 6.52 tonnes per person | 5.77 tonnes per person | 7.19 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1870s | 7.95 tonnes per person | 7.27 tonnes per person | 8.24 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1880s | 8.92 tonnes per person | 8.6 tonnes per person | 9.28 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1890s | 9.4 tonnes per person | 8.21 tonnes per person | 10.18 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1900s | 10.31 tonnes per person | 9.91 tonnes per person | 10.84 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1910s | 10.53 tonnes per person | 9.81 tonnes per person | 11.03 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1920s | 9.38 tonnes per person | 5.66 tonnes per person | 10.53 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1930s | 9.66 tonnes per person | 8.87 tonnes per person | 10.37 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1940s | 9.98 tonnes per person | 9.23 tonnes per person | 10.39 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1950s | 10.73 tonnes per person | 9.96 tonnes per person | 11.26 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1960s | 11.17 tonnes per person | 10.77 tonnes per person | 11.44 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1970s | 11.22 tonnes per person | 10.65 tonnes per person | 11.82 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1980s | 9.92 tonnes per person | 9.37 tonnes per person | 10.29 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 10 tonnes per person | 9.55 tonnes per person | 10.59 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 9.24 tonnes per person | 7.9 tonnes per person | 9.75 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.68 tonnes per person | 5.44 tonnes per person | 8.12 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.69 tonnes per person | 4.48 tonnes per person | 5.06 tonnes per person | 5 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More climate change data for United Kingdom
- Share of global CO₂ emissions and population 0.7% (2100)
- Population growth 0.3% (2025)
- Population, total 69.49 million (2025)
- Urban population growth 0.4% (2025)
- Urban population 57.90 million (2025)
- Urban population 83.3% (2025)
- CO₂ emissions per capita vs. GDP per capita 4.53 tonnes per person (2024)
- Cumulative CO₂ emissions 80.08 billion tonnes (2024)
- CO₂ emissions per capita 4.53 tonnes per person (2024)
- CO₂ emissions per capita vs. share of electricity generation from renewables 4.53 tonnes per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is per capita co₂ emissions relative to the global average in United Kingdom?
- Per capita co₂ emissions relative to the global average in United Kingdom was 4.53 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 United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 11.82 tonnes per person in 1971.
- What is the lowest per capita co₂ emissions relative to the global average recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 1 tonnes per person in 1750.
- How does United Kingdom rank for per capita co₂ emissions relative to the global average?
- United Kingdom ranks 77th out of 213 countries with data for 2024.
- Is per capita co₂ emissions relative to the global average rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is down 33.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Kingdom 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 — 230 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.