Per capita CO₂ emissions relative to the global average in Zambia
Zambia: Per capita CO₂ emissions relative to the global average was 0.565 tonnes per person in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
0.565 tonnes per person
Change on year
down 1.0%
World rank
178th
of 213 countries
All-time high
1.6 tonnes per person
in 1956
All-time low
0.1781 tonnes per person
in 2000
Years of data
75
1950–2024
Per capita CO₂ emissions relative to the global average in Zambia, 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
Zambia recorded 0.565 tonnes per person for per capita co₂ emissions relative to the global average in 2024.
That represents a change of down 1.0% on the previous year and up 70.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, per capita co₂ emissions relative to the global average in Zambia peaked at 1.6 tonnes per person in 1956 and was at its lowest, 0.1781 tonnes per person, in 2000.
That places Zambia 178th 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 Zambia, year by year
| Year | tonnes per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 1 tonnes per person | — |
| 1951 | 1.07 tonnes per person | +7.0% |
| 1952 | 1.17 tonnes per person | +9.1% |
| 1953 | 1.24 tonnes per person | +5.7% |
| 1954 | 1.32 tonnes per person | +6.6% |
| 1955 | 1.51 tonnes per person | +14.4% |
| 1956 | 1.6 tonnes per person | +5.7% |
| 1957 | 1.59 tonnes per person | -0.2% |
| 1958 | 1.38 tonnes per person | -13.4% |
| 1959 | 1.49 tonnes per person | +8.1% |
| 1960 | 1.38 tonnes per person | -7.6% |
| 1961 | 1.14 tonnes per person | -17.5% |
| 1962 | 1.07 tonnes per person | -6.4% |
| 1963 | 0.9938 tonnes per person | -6.8% |
| 1964 | 0.9156 tonnes per person | -7.9% |
| 1965 | 1.06 tonnes per person | +15.7% |
| 1966 | 0.9177 tonnes per person | -13.4% |
| 1967 | 1.22 tonnes per person | +32.5% |
| 1968 | 1.12 tonnes per person | -7.6% |
| 1969 | 1.02 tonnes per person | -9.4% |
| 1970 | 0.8714 tonnes per person | -14.4% |
| 1971 | 0.8531 tonnes per person | -2.1% |
| 1972 | 0.8888 tonnes per person | +4.2% |
| 1973 | 0.9751 tonnes per person | +9.7% |
| 1974 | 0.8667 tonnes per person | -11.1% |
| 1975 | 0.8169 tonnes per person | -5.7% |
| 1976 | 0.7814 tonnes per person | -4.3% |
| 1977 | 0.7044 tonnes per person | -9.9% |
| 1978 | 0.6351 tonnes per person | -9.8% |
| 1979 | 0.6386 tonnes per person | +0.6% |
| 1980 | 0.6072 tonnes per person | -4.9% |
| 1981 | 0.5612 tonnes per person | -7.6% |
| 1982 | 0.5682 tonnes per person | +1.2% |
| 1983 | 0.511 tonnes per person | -10.1% |
| 1984 | 0.4262 tonnes per person | -16.6% |
| 1985 | 0.403 tonnes per person | -5.4% |
| 1986 | 0.4102 tonnes per person | +1.8% |
| 1987 | 0.3718 tonnes per person | -9.4% |
| 1988 | 0.4206 tonnes per person | +13.1% |
| 1989 | 0.3386 tonnes per person | -19.5% |
| 1990 | 0.3092 tonnes per person | -8.7% |
| 1991 | 0.2984 tonnes per person | -3.5% |
| 1992 | 0.2965 tonnes per person | -0.6% |
| 1993 | 0.2945 tonnes per person | -0.7% |
| 1994 | 0.2791 tonnes per person | -5.2% |
| 1995 | 0.2438 tonnes per person | -12.6% |
| 1996 | 0.2041 tonnes per person | -16.3% |
| 1997 | 0.2549 tonnes per person | +24.8% |
| 1998 | 0.2403 tonnes per person | -5.7% |
| 1999 | 0.1825 tonnes per person | -24.0% |
| 2000 | 0.1781 tonnes per person | -2.4% |
| 2001 | 0.1826 tonnes per person | +2.5% |
| 2002 | 0.1842 tonnes per person | +0.8% |
| 2003 | 0.1889 tonnes per person | +2.6% |
| 2004 | 0.1856 tonnes per person | -1.7% |
| 2005 | 0.1914 tonnes per person | +3.1% |
| 2006 | 0.1839 tonnes per person | -3.9% |
| 2007 | 0.1829 tonnes per person | -0.6% |
| 2008 | 0.1961 tonnes per person | +7.2% |
| 2009 | 0.2179 tonnes per person | +11.1% |
| 2010 | 0.2235 tonnes per person | +2.5% |
| 2011 | 0.2341 tonnes per person | +4.7% |
| 2012 | 0.2801 tonnes per person | +19.7% |
| 2013 | 0.2875 tonnes per person | +2.6% |
| 2014 | 0.3324 tonnes per person | +15.6% |
| 2015 | 0.3368 tonnes per person | +1.3% |
| 2016 | 0.3534 tonnes per person | +4.9% |
| 2017 | 0.4277 tonnes per person | +21.0% |
| 2018 | 0.4817 tonnes per person | +12.6% |
| 2019 | 0.4778 tonnes per person | -0.8% |
| 2020 | 0.5242 tonnes per person | +9.7% |
| 2021 | 0.4769 tonnes per person | -9.0% |
| 2022 | 0.5428 tonnes per person | +13.8% |
| 2023 | 0.5709 tonnes per person | +5.2% |
| 2024 | 0.565 tonnes per person | -1.0% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 0.565 tonnes per person is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.7616 tonnes per person, 74% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 0.565 tonnes per person is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.3417 tonnes per person, 1.7× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 1.34 tonnes per person | 1 tonnes per person | 1.6 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1960s | 1.08 tonnes per person | 0.9156 tonnes per person | 1.38 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.8031 tonnes per person | 0.6351 tonnes per person | 0.9751 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.4618 tonnes per person | 0.3386 tonnes per person | 0.6072 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.2603 tonnes per person | 0.1825 tonnes per person | 0.3092 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.1891 tonnes per person | 0.1781 tonnes per person | 0.2179 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.3435 tonnes per person | 0.2235 tonnes per person | 0.4817 tonnes per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.536 tonnes per person | 0.4769 tonnes per person | 0.5709 tonnes per person | 5 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More climate change data for Zambia
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 303.19 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 7,547 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 2,795 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 4,752 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 10.55 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 169.71 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 2,153 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 2,033 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 120.21 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 7.67 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is per capita co₂ emissions relative to the global average in Zambia?
- Per capita co₂ emissions relative to the global average in Zambia was 0.565 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 Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 1.6 tonnes per person in 1956.
- What is the lowest per capita co₂ emissions relative to the global average recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1781 tonnes per person in 2000.
- How does Zambia rank for per capita co₂ emissions relative to the global average?
- Zambia ranks 178th out of 213 countries with data for 2024.
- Is per capita co₂ emissions relative to the global average rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 70.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Zambia 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.