Per capita greenhouse gas emissions in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Per capita greenhouse gas emissions was 1.88 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
1.88 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person
Change on year
down 3.9%
World rank
169th
of 199 countries
All-time high
65.24 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person
in 1859
All-time low
1.26 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person
in 1919
Years of data
175
1850–2024
Per capita greenhouse gas emissions in Sierra Leone, 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
In 2024, per capita greenhouse gas emissions in Sierra Leone stood at 1.88 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person.
That represents a change of down 3.9% on the previous year and down 38.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, per capita greenhouse gas emissions in Sierra Leone peaked at 65.24 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person in 1859 and was at its lowest, 1.26 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person, in 1919.
Sierra Leone ranks 169th of 199 countries on this measure, 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 Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1850 | 33.97 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | — |
| 1851 | 46.55 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +37.1% |
| 1852 | 53.64 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +15.2% |
| 1853 | 56.24 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +4.8% |
| 1854 | 55.56 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.2% |
| 1855 | 61.21 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +10.2% |
| 1856 | 60.58 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.0% |
| 1857 | 62.8 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +3.7% |
| 1858 | 62.47 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.5% |
| 1859 | 65.24 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +4.4% |
| 1860 | 34.17 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -47.6% |
| 1861 | 23 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -32.7% |
| 1862 | 17.75 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -22.8% |
| 1863 | 14.83 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -16.4% |
| 1864 | 12.81 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -13.6% |
| 1865 | 11.1 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -13.3% |
| 1866 | 9.83 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -11.5% |
| 1867 | 8.99 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -8.5% |
| 1868 | 7.5 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -16.6% |
| 1869 | 6.35 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -15.3% |
| 1870 | 6.15 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -3.3% |
| 1871 | 6.05 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.6% |
| 1872 | 5.7 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -5.8% |
| 1873 | 5.48 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -3.7% |
| 1874 | 5.51 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.4% |
| 1875 | 5.69 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +3.4% |
| 1876 | 5.08 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -10.8% |
| 1877 | 4.81 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -5.3% |
| 1878 | 4.61 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -4.2% |
| 1879 | 4.47 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -3.2% |
| 1880 | 4.36 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -2.4% |
| 1881 | 4.54 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +4.1% |
| 1882 | 4.1 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -9.5% |
| 1883 | 3.94 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -4.1% |
| 1884 | 3.8 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -3.5% |
| 1885 | 4.15 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +9.2% |
| 1886 | 4.17 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.6% |
| 1887 | 3.72 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -10.8% |
| 1888 | 3.56 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -4.2% |
| 1889 | 3.45 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -3.2% |
| 1890 | 3.28 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -4.9% |
| 1891 | 3.15 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -3.8% |
| 1892 | 3.12 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.1% |
| 1893 | 2.98 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -4.5% |
| 1894 | 2.92 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -2.0% |
| 1895 | 2.83 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -2.9% |
| 1896 | 2.77 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -2.4% |
| 1897 | 2.71 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.9% |
| 1898 | 2.69 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.8% |
| 1899 | 2.73 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.6% |
| 1900 | 2.5 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -8.7% |
| 1901 | 2.35 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -5.7% |
| 1902 | 2.28 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -3.2% |
| 1903 | 2.27 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.2% |
| 1904 | 2.31 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.5% |
| 1905 | 2.31 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.2% |
| 1906 | 2.44 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +5.6% |
| 1907 | 2.1 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -14.1% |
| 1908 | 2.18 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +3.8% |
| 1909 | 2.06 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -5.2% |
| 1910 | 1.65 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -20.1% |
| 1911 | 1.49 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -9.6% |
| 1912 | 1.52 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.7% |
| 1913 | 1.39 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -8.1% |
| 1914 | 1.62 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +16.2% |
| 1915 | 1.51 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -6.8% |
| 1916 | 1.42 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -5.6% |
| 1917 | 1.26 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -11.6% |
| 1918 | 1.28 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +2.1% |
| 1919 | 1.26 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -2.1% |
| 1920 | 3.12 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +148.4% |
| 1921 | 3.87 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +24.0% |
| 1922 | 4.78 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +23.4% |
| 1923 | 4.63 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -3.1% |
| 1924 | 5.11 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +10.3% |
| 1925 | 5.01 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.8% |
| 1926 | 4.98 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.7% |
| 1927 | 5.1 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +2.4% |
| 1928 | 5.66 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +11.1% |
| 1929 | 5.56 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.8% |
| 1930 | 4.76 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -14.4% |
| 1931 | 4.76 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.1% |
| 1932 | 4.62 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -3.1% |
| 1933 | 4.59 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.6% |
| 1934 | 4.67 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.7% |
| 1935 | 4.87 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +4.4% |
| 1936 | 4.91 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.7% |
| 1937 | 4.71 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -4.0% |
| 1938 | 4.54 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -3.7% |
| 1939 | 4.41 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -2.8% |
| 1940 | 4.62 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +4.7% |
| 1941 | 5.01 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +8.4% |
| 1942 | 4.91 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -2.0% |
| 1943 | 5.08 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +3.6% |
| 1944 | 5.13 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.0% |
| 1945 | 5.06 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.4% |
| 1946 | 5.45 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +7.7% |
| 1947 | 5.24 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -3.8% |
| 1948 | 5.38 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +2.7% |
| 1949 | 5.39 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 5.12 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -4.9% |
| 1951 | 4.67 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -8.8% |
| 1952 | 3.9 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -16.6% |
| 1953 | 3.58 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -8.1% |
| 1954 | 3.39 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -5.3% |
| 1955 | 3.25 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -4.2% |
| 1956 | 3.1 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -4.7% |
| 1957 | 3.05 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.5% |
| 1958 | 2.79 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -8.4% |
| 1959 | 2.69 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -3.6% |
| 1960 | 2.82 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +4.8% |
| 1961 | 3.01 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +6.6% |
| 1962 | 3.18 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +5.5% |
| 1963 | 3.19 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.6% |
| 1964 | 3.11 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -2.7% |
| 1965 | 3.16 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.9% |
| 1966 | 3.25 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +2.7% |
| 1967 | 3.41 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +4.9% |
| 1968 | 3.23 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -5.2% |
| 1969 | 3.47 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +7.3% |
| 1970 | 3.29 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -5.1% |
| 1971 | 3.16 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -3.8% |
| 1972 | 3.02 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -4.5% |
| 1973 | 2.97 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.8% |
| 1974 | 2.84 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -4.2% |
| 1975 | 2.83 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.5% |
| 1976 | 2.84 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.2% |
| 1977 | 3.04 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +7.2% |
| 1978 | 3.15 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +3.6% |
| 1979 | 2.93 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -6.9% |
| 1980 | 2.84 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -3.2% |
| 1981 | 3.13 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +10.4% |
| 1982 | 2.83 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -9.6% |
| 1983 | 3.16 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +11.6% |
| 1984 | 4.79 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +51.5% |
| 1985 | 3.45 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -28.0% |
| 1986 | 3.01 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -12.8% |
| 1987 | 2.58 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -14.1% |
| 1988 | 2.35 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -9.1% |
| 1989 | 2.26 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -3.6% |
| 1990 | 2.25 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.7% |
| 1991 | 2.11 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -6.1% |
| 1992 | 2.11 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.2% |
| 1993 | 2.03 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -3.5% |
| 1994 | 2.1 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +3.2% |
| 1995 | 2.04 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -2.5% |
| 1996 | 1.96 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -3.9% |
| 1997 | 1.97 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 2.13 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +8.1% |
| 1999 | 2.59 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +21.3% |
| 2000 | 7.86 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +204.0% |
| 2001 | 11.92 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +51.6% |
| 2002 | 16.07 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +34.8% |
| 2003 | 15.03 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -6.5% |
| 2004 | 12.04 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -19.9% |
| 2005 | 14.32 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +18.9% |
| 2006 | 8.32 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -41.9% |
| 2007 | 6.65 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -20.1% |
| 2008 | 6.23 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -6.3% |
| 2009 | 6.7 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +7.7% |
| 2010 | 6.23 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -7.1% |
| 2011 | 4.57 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -26.6% |
| 2012 | 4.67 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +2.1% |
| 2013 | 3.6 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -23.0% |
| 2014 | 3.08 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -14.2% |
| 2015 | 2.65 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -14.0% |
| 2016 | 2.62 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.4% |
| 2017 | 2.43 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -7.2% |
| 2018 | 2.28 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -6.3% |
| 2019 | 2.02 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -11.4% |
| 2020 | 1.98 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.9% |
| 2021 | 2.09 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +5.4% |
| 2022 | 1.94 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -6.9% |
| 2023 | 1.96 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.0% |
| 2024 | 1.88 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -3.9% |
Sierra Leone compared with similar countries
- Sierra Leone's 1.88 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person is below the median for low income countries, which is 1.93 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person, 98% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Sierra Leone's 1.88 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2.65 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person, 71% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Per capita greenhouse gas emissions in Sierra Leone 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | +204.0% | 2.59 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 7.86 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person |
| 1920 | +148.4% | 1.26 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 3.12 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person |
| 2001 | +51.6% | 7.86 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 11.92 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person |
| 1984 | +51.5% | 3.16 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 4.79 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person |
| 1860 | -47.6% | 65.24 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 34.17 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person |
| 1851 | +37.1% | 33.97 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 46.55 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1850s | 55.83 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 33.97 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 65.24 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1860s | 14.63 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 6.35 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 34.17 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1870s | 5.36 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 4.47 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 6.15 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1880s | 3.98 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 3.45 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 4.54 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1890s | 2.92 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 2.69 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 3.28 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1900s | 2.28 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 2.06 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 2.5 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1910s | 1.44 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 1.26 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 1.65 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1920s | 4.78 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 3.12 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 5.66 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1930s | 4.68 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 4.41 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 4.91 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1940s | 5.13 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 4.62 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 5.45 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1950s | 3.56 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 2.69 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 5.12 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1960s | 3.18 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 2.82 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 3.47 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1970s | 3.01 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 2.83 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 3.29 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.04 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 2.26 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 4.79 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.13 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 1.96 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 2.59 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 10.51 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 6.23 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 16.07 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.41 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 2.02 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 6.23 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.97 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 1.88 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 2.09 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sierra Leone
- 166 Senegal 1.91 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person compare
- 167 Montenegro 1.91 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person compare
- 168 Pakistan 1.89 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person compare
- 170 Ethiopia 1.87 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person compare
- 171 Zimbabwe 1.87 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person compare
- 172 Sri Lanka 1.85 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person compare
More climate change data for Sierra Leone
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 3.65 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 1,547 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 538.77 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 1,008 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 2.03 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 36.02 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 1,431 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 201.66 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 1,229 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 0.761 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is per capita greenhouse gas emissions in Sierra Leone?
- Per capita greenhouse gas emissions in Sierra Leone was 1.88 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 Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 65.24 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person in 1859.
- What is the lowest per capita greenhouse gas emissions recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.26 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person in 1919.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for per capita greenhouse gas emissions?
- Sierra Leone ranks 169th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is per capita greenhouse gas emissions rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is down 38.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sierra Leone 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.