Per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector was 117.97 kilograms per person in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
117.97 kilograms per person
Change on year
up 13.2%
World rank
81st
of 191 countries
All-time high
164.3 kilograms per person
in 2016
All-time low
36.09 kilograms per person
in 2003
Years of data
34
1990–2023
Per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector in Sri Lanka, 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 Sri Lanka is 117.97 kilograms per person, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 13.2% on the previous year and up 18.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector in Sri Lanka peaked at 164.3 kilograms per person in 2016 and was at its lowest, 36.09 kilograms per person, in 2003.
That places Sri Lanka 81st out of 191 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.
Per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | kilograms per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 75.22 kilograms per person | — |
| 1991 | 59.48 kilograms per person | -20.9% |
| 1992 | 57.35 kilograms per person | -3.6% |
| 1993 | 65.19 kilograms per person | +13.7% |
| 1994 | 64.25 kilograms per person | -1.4% |
| 1995 | 63.2 kilograms per person | -1.6% |
| 1996 | 70.37 kilograms per person | +11.4% |
| 1997 | 48.22 kilograms per person | -31.5% |
| 1998 | 44.63 kilograms per person | -7.4% |
| 1999 | 39.59 kilograms per person | -11.3% |
| 2000 | 43.54 kilograms per person | +10.0% |
| 2001 | 36.22 kilograms per person | -16.8% |
| 2002 | 41.4 kilograms per person | +14.3% |
| 2003 | 36.09 kilograms per person | -12.8% |
| 2004 | 39.33 kilograms per person | +9.0% |
| 2005 | 74.2 kilograms per person | +88.7% |
| 2006 | 69.28 kilograms per person | -6.6% |
| 2007 | 42.45 kilograms per person | -38.7% |
| 2008 | 46.05 kilograms per person | +8.5% |
| 2009 | 41.91 kilograms per person | -9.0% |
| 2010 | 48.37 kilograms per person | +15.4% |
| 2011 | 90.44 kilograms per person | +87.0% |
| 2012 | 103.92 kilograms per person | +14.9% |
| 2013 | 99.72 kilograms per person | -4.0% |
| 2014 | 130.87 kilograms per person | +31.2% |
| 2015 | 114.59 kilograms per person | -12.4% |
| 2016 | 164.3 kilograms per person | +43.4% |
| 2017 | 161.18 kilograms per person | -1.9% |
| 2018 | 159.98 kilograms per person | -0.7% |
| 2019 | 147.7 kilograms per person | -7.7% |
| 2020 | 77.56 kilograms per person | -47.5% |
| 2021 | 99.56 kilograms per person | +28.4% |
| 2022 | 104.23 kilograms per person | +4.7% |
| 2023 | 117.97 kilograms per person | +13.2% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 117.97 kilograms per person is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 95.67 kilograms per person, 1.2× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 117.97 kilograms per person is above the median for South Asia, which is 12.86 kilograms per person, 9.2× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 58.75 kilograms per person | 39.59 kilograms per person | 75.22 kilograms per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 47.05 kilograms per person | 36.09 kilograms per person | 74.2 kilograms per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 122.11 kilograms per person | 48.37 kilograms per person | 164.3 kilograms per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 99.83 kilograms per person | 77.56 kilograms per person | 117.97 kilograms per person | 4 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
More climate change data for Sri Lanka
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 327.09 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 3,418 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 618.46 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 2,800 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 2.33 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 100 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 4,168 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 2,071 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 2,097 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 7.82 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector in Sri Lanka?
- Per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector in Sri Lanka was 117.97 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 Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 164.3 kilograms per person in 2016.
- What is the lowest per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 36.09 kilograms per person in 2003.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector?
- Sri Lanka ranks 81st out of 191 countries with data for 2023.
- Is per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sri Lanka 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.