Per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector in India
India: Per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector was 12.91 kilograms per person in 2023. ▲ Rising
Per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector in India, 1990–2023
Source: Climate Watch (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in kilograms per person.
Analysis
The most recent figure for per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector in India is 12.91 kilograms per person, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of up 11.2% on the previous year and up 19.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector in India peaked at 13.19 kilograms per person in 2018 and was at its lowest, 5.53 kilograms per person, in 1992.
That places India 145th out of 191 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.
Per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector in India, year by year
| Year | kilograms per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 5.97 kilograms per person | — |
| 1991 | 5.54 kilograms per person | -7.1% |
| 1992 | 5.53 kilograms per person | -0.3% |
| 1993 | 5.91 kilograms per person | +6.9% |
| 1994 | 6.26 kilograms per person | +5.9% |
| 1995 | 6.67 kilograms per person | +6.7% |
| 1996 | 6.82 kilograms per person | +2.2% |
| 1997 | 6.63 kilograms per person | -2.8% |
| 1998 | 6.61 kilograms per person | -0.3% |
| 1999 | 6.82 kilograms per person | +3.2% |
| 2000 | 6.87 kilograms per person | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 6.82 kilograms per person | -0.8% |
| 2002 | 6.8 kilograms per person | -0.3% |
| 2003 | 7.3 kilograms per person | +7.4% |
| 2004 | 8.05 kilograms per person | +10.3% |
| 2005 | 8.48 kilograms per person | +5.4% |
| 2006 | 9.7 kilograms per person | +14.4% |
| 2007 | 10.79 kilograms per person | +11.2% |
| 2008 | 10.44 kilograms per person | -3.3% |
| 2009 | 10.93 kilograms per person | +4.7% |
| 2010 | 11.32 kilograms per person | +3.6% |
| 2011 | 11.51 kilograms per person | +1.7% |
| 2012 | 10.65 kilograms per person | -7.5% |
| 2013 | 10.79 kilograms per person | +1.3% |
| 2014 | 10.97 kilograms per person | +1.7% |
| 2015 | 11.57 kilograms per person | +5.4% |
| 2016 | 12.28 kilograms per person | +6.1% |
| 2017 | 12.69 kilograms per person | +3.3% |
| 2018 | 13.19 kilograms per person | +4.0% |
| 2019 | 12.73 kilograms per person | -3.5% |
| 2020 | 7.29 kilograms per person | -42.8% |
| 2021 | 8.05 kilograms per person | +10.5% |
| 2022 | 11.61 kilograms per person | +44.2% |
| 2023 | 12.91 kilograms per person | +11.2% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 12.91 kilograms per person is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 12.86 kilograms per person, 1.0× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- India's 12.91 kilograms per person is above the median for South Asia, which is 12.86 kilograms per person, 1.0× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector in India 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | -42.8% | 12.73 kilograms per person | 7.29 kilograms per person |
| 2022 | +44.2% | 8.05 kilograms per person | 11.61 kilograms per person |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 6.27 kilograms per person | 5.53 kilograms per person | 6.82 kilograms per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 8.62 kilograms per person | 6.8 kilograms per person | 10.93 kilograms per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 11.77 kilograms per person | 10.65 kilograms per person | 13.19 kilograms per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.97 kilograms per person | 7.29 kilograms per person | 12.91 kilograms per person | 4 |
Countries ranked near India
More climate change data for India
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 27.69 billion kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 602,760 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 105,678 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 497,082 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 398.78 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 17,753 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 279,594 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 176,015 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 103,578 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 664.21 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector in India?
- Per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector in India was 12.91 kilograms per person in 2023, according to Climate Watch (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 13.19 kilograms per person in 2018.
- What is the lowest per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.53 kilograms per person in 1992.
- How does India rank for per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector?
- India ranks 145th out of 191 countries with data for 2023.
- Is per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 19.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from Climate Watch (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Emissions are measured in kilograms of carbon dioxide-equivalents per person.