Per capita greenhouse gas emissions in Ghana
Ghana: Per capita greenhouse gas emissions was 1.51 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
1.51 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person
Change on year
down 0.1%
World rank
183rd
of 199 countries
All-time high
8.31 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person
in 1955
All-time low
0.7682 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person
in 1850
Years of data
175
1850–2024
Per capita greenhouse gas emissions in Ghana, 1850–2024
Source: Jones et al. (2025); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person.
Analysis
Ghana recorded 1.51 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person for per capita greenhouse gas emissions in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.1% on the previous year and down 20.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, per capita greenhouse gas emissions in Ghana peaked at 8.31 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person in 1955 and was at its lowest, 0.7682 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person, in 1850.
That places Ghana 183rd out of 199 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 greenhouse gas emissions in Ghana, year by year
| Year | tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1850 | 0.7682 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | — |
| 1851 | 1.03 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +33.6% |
| 1852 | 1.18 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +15.3% |
| 1853 | 1.37 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +15.4% |
| 1854 | 1.37 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.4% |
| 1855 | 1.42 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +3.5% |
| 1856 | 1.47 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +3.3% |
| 1857 | 1.57 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +7.3% |
| 1858 | 1.56 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.1% |
| 1859 | 1.58 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.5% |
| 1860 | 1.45 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -8.2% |
| 1861 | 1.41 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -2.9% |
| 1862 | 1.39 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.1% |
| 1863 | 1.38 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.5% |
| 1864 | 1.38 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.3% |
| 1865 | 1.38 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.1% |
| 1866 | 1.38 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.0% |
| 1867 | 1.38 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.1% |
| 1868 | 1.38 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.0% |
| 1869 | 1.38 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.0% |
| 1870 | 1.55 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +12.6% |
| 1871 | 1.62 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +4.5% |
| 1872 | 1.67 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +2.7% |
| 1873 | 1.7 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.7% |
| 1874 | 1.72 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.3% |
| 1875 | 1.73 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.0% |
| 1876 | 1.75 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.8% |
| 1877 | 1.8 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +3.0% |
| 1878 | 1.79 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.7% |
| 1879 | 1.79 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.2% |
| 1880 | 2 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +12.0% |
| 1881 | 2.09 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +4.4% |
| 1882 | 2.14 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +2.4% |
| 1883 | 2.17 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.2% |
| 1884 | 2.19 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.0% |
| 1885 | 2.21 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.8% |
| 1886 | 2.22 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.6% |
| 1887 | 2.23 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.5% |
| 1888 | 2.23 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.2% |
| 1889 | 2.23 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.1% |
| 1890 | 2.33 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +4.5% |
| 1891 | 2.37 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.6% |
| 1892 | 2.39 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.9% |
| 1893 | 2.39 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.2% |
| 1894 | 2.39 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.0% |
| 1895 | 2.39 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.0% |
| 1896 | 2.39 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.2% |
| 1897 | 2.38 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.3% |
| 1898 | 2.38 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.2% |
| 1899 | 2.37 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.3% |
| 1900 | 2.39 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.9% |
| 1901 | 2.43 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.5% |
| 1902 | 2.4 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.9% |
| 1903 | 2.39 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.4% |
| 1904 | 2.43 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.4% |
| 1905 | 2.39 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.4% |
| 1906 | 2.43 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.4% |
| 1907 | 2.39 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.4% |
| 1908 | 2.47 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +3.1% |
| 1909 | 2.44 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.9% |
| 1910 | 2.23 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -8.6% |
| 1911 | 2.16 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -3.3% |
| 1912 | 2.14 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.0% |
| 1913 | 2.16 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.8% |
| 1914 | 2.13 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.2% |
| 1915 | 2.14 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.5% |
| 1916 | 2.19 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +2.2% |
| 1917 | 2.17 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.7% |
| 1918 | 2.2 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.4% |
| 1919 | 2.16 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.7% |
| 1920 | 3.22 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +48.6% |
| 1921 | 3.71 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +15.4% |
| 1922 | 4.06 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +9.3% |
| 1923 | 4.32 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +6.5% |
| 1924 | 4.12 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -4.7% |
| 1925 | 4.04 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.8% |
| 1926 | 4.29 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +6.0% |
| 1927 | 4.27 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.4% |
| 1928 | 4.3 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.7% |
| 1929 | 4.31 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.2% |
| 1930 | 4.19 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -2.8% |
| 1931 | 4.05 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -3.2% |
| 1932 | 4.07 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.5% |
| 1933 | 4.12 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.1% |
| 1934 | 4.1 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.3% |
| 1935 | 4.01 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -2.2% |
| 1936 | 3.83 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -4.7% |
| 1937 | 3.77 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.4% |
| 1938 | 3.83 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.4% |
| 1939 | 3.82 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.3% |
| 1940 | 4.47 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +17.3% |
| 1941 | 4.65 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +4.0% |
| 1942 | 4.93 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +6.1% |
| 1943 | 4.96 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.6% |
| 1944 | 5.12 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +3.1% |
| 1945 | 5.01 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -2.1% |
| 1946 | 4.98 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.6% |
| 1947 | 4.97 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.3% |
| 1948 | 4.94 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.5% |
| 1949 | 5.1 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +3.2% |
| 1950 | 5.59 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +9.6% |
| 1951 | 6.21 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +11.2% |
| 1952 | 7.3 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +17.5% |
| 1953 | 7.35 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.7% |
| 1954 | 8.06 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +9.6% |
| 1955 | 8.31 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +3.1% |
| 1956 | 8.24 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.8% |
| 1957 | 8.06 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -2.2% |
| 1958 | 7.92 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.7% |
| 1959 | 7.72 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -2.5% |
| 1960 | 4.66 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -39.7% |
| 1961 | 3.42 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -26.5% |
| 1962 | 2.75 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -19.7% |
| 1963 | 2.47 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -10.1% |
| 1964 | 2.18 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -11.8% |
| 1965 | 1.96 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -10.4% |
| 1966 | 1.73 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -11.6% |
| 1967 | 1.58 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -8.6% |
| 1968 | 1.49 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -5.9% |
| 1969 | 1.36 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -8.8% |
| 1970 | 1.46 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +7.4% |
| 1971 | 1.37 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -6.0% |
| 1972 | 1.37 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 1.41 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +2.8% |
| 1974 | 2.1 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +49.2% |
| 1975 | 1.58 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -24.6% |
| 1976 | 1.44 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -9.2% |
| 1977 | 2.15 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +49.8% |
| 1978 | 1.61 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -25.1% |
| 1979 | 1.46 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -9.3% |
| 1980 | 1.39 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -4.8% |
| 1981 | 2.44 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +75.4% |
| 1982 | 1.81 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -25.9% |
| 1983 | 2.69 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +48.8% |
| 1984 | 2.45 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -9.0% |
| 1985 | 1.89 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -22.7% |
| 1986 | 2.01 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +6.4% |
| 1987 | 2.2 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +9.5% |
| 1988 | 1.63 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -26.1% |
| 1989 | 1.89 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +16.2% |
| 1990 | 1.97 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +4.0% |
| 1991 | 1.61 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -18.3% |
| 1992 | 1.79 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +11.1% |
| 1993 | 1.99 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +11.6% |
| 1994 | 2.51 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +26.2% |
| 1995 | 2.7 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +7.4% |
| 1996 | 3.31 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +22.5% |
| 1997 | 2.58 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -22.0% |
| 1998 | 2.4 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -6.9% |
| 1999 | 2.16 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -9.9% |
| 2000 | 2.06 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -4.8% |
| 2001 | 1.96 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -5.1% |
| 2002 | 1.91 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -2.4% |
| 2003 | 1.95 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +2.3% |
| 2004 | 1.75 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -10.5% |
| 2005 | 1.8 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +3.2% |
| 2006 | 1.82 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 1.86 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +2.2% |
| 2008 | 1.8 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -3.1% |
| 2009 | 1.7 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -5.3% |
| 2010 | 1.78 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +4.8% |
| 2011 | 1.89 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +5.9% |
| 2012 | 1.89 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 1.92 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.7% |
| 2014 | 1.89 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.5% |
| 2015 | 1.87 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.0% |
| 2016 | 1.81 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -3.3% |
| 2017 | 1.77 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -2.5% |
| 2018 | 1.77 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.0% |
| 2019 | 1.77 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 1.7 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -4.1% |
| 2021 | 1.51 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -11.2% |
| 2022 | 1.54 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +2.3% |
| 2023 | 1.51 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -2.0% |
| 2024 | 1.51 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.1% |
Ghana compared with similar countries
- Ghana's 1.51 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 2.9 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person, 52% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Ghana's 1.51 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2.65 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person, 57% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Per capita greenhouse gas emissions in Ghana 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | +75.4% | 1.39 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 2.44 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person |
| 1977 | +49.8% | 1.44 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 2.15 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person |
| 1974 | +49.2% | 1.41 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 2.1 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person |
| 1920 | +48.6% | 2.16 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 3.22 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person |
| 1983 | +48.8% | 1.81 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 2.69 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person |
| 1960 | -39.7% | 7.72 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 4.66 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1850s | 1.33 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 0.7682 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 1.58 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1860s | 1.39 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 1.38 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 1.45 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1870s | 1.71 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 1.55 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 1.8 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1880s | 2.17 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 2 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 2.23 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1890s | 2.38 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 2.33 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 2.39 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1900s | 2.42 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 2.39 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 2.47 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1910s | 2.17 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 2.13 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 2.23 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1920s | 4.06 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 3.22 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 4.32 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1930s | 3.98 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 3.77 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 4.19 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1940s | 4.91 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 4.47 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 5.12 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1950s | 7.48 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 5.59 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 8.31 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1960s | 2.36 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 1.36 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 4.66 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.59 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 1.37 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 2.15 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.04 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 1.39 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 2.69 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.3 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 1.61 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 3.31 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.86 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 1.7 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 2.06 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.84 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 1.77 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 1.92 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.56 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 1.51 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 1.7 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 5 |
Countries ranked near Ghana
- 180 Syria 1.57 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person compare
- 181 El Salvador 1.56 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person compare
- 182 Togo 1.52 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person compare
- 184 Vanuatu 1.46 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person compare
- 185 Fiji 1.41 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person compare
- 186 Bangladesh 1.39 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person compare
More climate change data for Ghana
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 63.84 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 6,671 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 2,693 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 3,979 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 10.16 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 142.09 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 1,417 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 670.16 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 746.8 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 2.53 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is per capita greenhouse gas emissions in Ghana?
- Per capita greenhouse gas emissions in Ghana was 1.51 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person in 2024, according to Jones et al. (2025); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest per capita greenhouse gas emissions recorded in Ghana?
- The highest recorded value was 8.31 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person in 1955.
- What is the lowest per capita greenhouse gas emissions recorded in Ghana?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.7682 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person in 1850.
- How does Ghana rank for per capita greenhouse gas emissions?
- Ghana ranks 183rd out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is per capita greenhouse gas emissions rising or falling in Ghana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 20.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Ghana data come from?
- The figures come from Jones et al. (2025); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Per capita greenhouse gas emissions. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 175 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Greenhouse gas emissions are measured in tonnes per person of carbon dioxide-equivalents over a 100-year timescale.