Per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector was 670.69 kilograms per person in 2023. ▼ Falling
Per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector in Saudi Arabia, 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
In 2023, per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector in Saudi Arabia stood at 670.69 kilograms per person.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 10.3% on the previous year and up 12.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector in Saudi Arabia peaked at 1,204 kilograms per person in 1991 and was at its lowest, 406.66 kilograms per person, in 2021.
Saudi Arabia ranks 30th of 191 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 34 years of available data.
Per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | kilograms per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 1,008 kilograms per person | — |
| 1991 | 1,204 kilograms per person | +19.4% |
| 1992 | 1,201 kilograms per person | -0.3% |
| 1993 | 1,128 kilograms per person | -6.0% |
| 1994 | 969.41 kilograms per person | -14.1% |
| 1995 | 892.45 kilograms per person | -7.9% |
| 1996 | 798.93 kilograms per person | -10.5% |
| 1997 | 811.13 kilograms per person | +1.5% |
| 1998 | 788.09 kilograms per person | -2.8% |
| 1999 | 786.58 kilograms per person | -0.2% |
| 2000 | 784.41 kilograms per person | -0.3% |
| 2001 | 729.99 kilograms per person | -6.9% |
| 2002 | 708.51 kilograms per person | -2.9% |
| 2003 | 673.35 kilograms per person | -5.0% |
| 2004 | 659.9 kilograms per person | -2.0% |
| 2005 | 621.11 kilograms per person | -5.9% |
| 2006 | 650.07 kilograms per person | +4.7% |
| 2007 | 649.58 kilograms per person | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 650.12 kilograms per person | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 584.7 kilograms per person | -10.1% |
| 2010 | 577.97 kilograms per person | -1.2% |
| 2011 | 632.05 kilograms per person | +9.4% |
| 2012 | 639.63 kilograms per person | +1.2% |
| 2013 | 598 kilograms per person | -6.5% |
| 2014 | 603.49 kilograms per person | +0.9% |
| 2015 | 615.85 kilograms per person | +2.0% |
| 2016 | 637.74 kilograms per person | +3.6% |
| 2017 | 669.21 kilograms per person | +4.9% |
| 2018 | 725.83 kilograms per person | +8.5% |
| 2019 | 700.62 kilograms per person | -3.5% |
| 2020 | 435.61 kilograms per person | -37.8% |
| 2021 | 406.66 kilograms per person | -6.6% |
| 2022 | 607.92 kilograms per person | +49.5% |
| 2023 | 670.69 kilograms per person | +10.3% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 670.69 kilograms per person is above the median for high income countries, which is 559.34 kilograms per person, 1.2× the median. (60 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 670.69 kilograms per person is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 102.22 kilograms per person, 6.6× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector in Saudi Arabia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | +49.5% | 406.66 kilograms per person | 607.92 kilograms per person |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 958.77 kilograms per person | 786.58 kilograms per person | 1,204 kilograms per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 671.17 kilograms per person | 584.7 kilograms per person | 784.41 kilograms per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 640.04 kilograms per person | 577.97 kilograms per person | 725.83 kilograms per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 530.22 kilograms per person | 406.66 kilograms per person | 670.69 kilograms per person | 4 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
More climate change data for Saudi Arabia
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 134.54 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 4,043 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 1,830 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 2,213 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 6.91 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 79.03 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 1,017 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 1,002 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 15.05 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 3.78 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector in Saudi Arabia?
- Per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector in Saudi Arabia was 670.69 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 Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 1,204 kilograms per person in 1991.
- What is the lowest per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 406.66 kilograms per person in 2021.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 30th out of 191 countries with data for 2023.
- Is per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 34 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Emissions are measured in kilograms of carbon dioxide-equivalents per person.