Share of CO₂ emissions embedded in trade in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Share of CO₂ emissions embedded in trade was 58.2% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Share of CO₂ emissions embedded in trade in United Kingdom, 1990–2023
Source: Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
United Kingdom recorded 58.2% for share of co₂ emissions embedded in trade in 2023.
The figure is down 5.5% on the previous year and up 89.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of co₂ emissions embedded in trade in United Kingdom peaked at 61.6% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 10.6%, in 1990.
United Kingdom ranks 28th of 120 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.
Share of CO₂ emissions embedded in trade in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 10.6% | — |
| 1991 | 11.1% | +4.3% |
| 1992 | 18.2% | +64.0% |
| 1993 | 13.9% | -23.4% |
| 1994 | 13.4% | -3.5% |
| 1995 | 14.4% | +7.2% |
| 1996 | 14.8% | +2.9% |
| 1997 | 17.5% | +18.3% |
| 1998 | 21.7% | +23.8% |
| 1999 | 22.6% | +4.1% |
| 2000 | 29.9% | +32.2% |
| 2001 | 26.2% | -12.3% |
| 2002 | 31.2% | +18.9% |
| 2003 | 33.5% | +7.5% |
| 2004 | 35.1% | +4.8% |
| 2005 | 34.3% | -2.3% |
| 2006 | 35.0% | +2.2% |
| 2007 | 36.7% | +4.7% |
| 2008 | 34.2% | -6.7% |
| 2009 | 29.9% | -12.7% |
| 2010 | 34.2% | +14.3% |
| 2011 | 33.4% | -2.3% |
| 2012 | 31.4% | -6.0% |
| 2013 | 30.8% | -1.8% |
| 2014 | 37.9% | +22.8% |
| 2015 | 41.3% | +9.1% |
| 2016 | 45.9% | +11.1% |
| 2017 | 44.1% | -3.8% |
| 2018 | 43.6% | -1.2% |
| 2019 | 43.9% | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 44.0% | +0.4% |
| 2021 | 51.2% | +16.3% |
| 2022 | 61.6% | +20.3% |
| 2023 | 58.2% | -5.5% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 58.2% is above the median for high income countries, which is 27.2%, 2.1× the median. (52 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 58.2% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 27.6%, 2.1× the median. (40 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 15.8% | 10.6% | 22.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 32.6% | 26.2% | 36.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 38.6% | 30.8% | 45.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 53.8% | 44.0% | 61.6% | 4 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More climate change data for United Kingdom
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 37,706 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 8,697 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 29,008 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 32.82 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 1,036 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 7,083 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 7,027 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 55.89 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 26.52 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 2 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of co₂ emissions embedded in trade in United Kingdom?
- Share of co₂ emissions embedded in trade in United Kingdom was 58.2% in 2023, according to Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of co₂ emissions embedded in trade recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 61.6% in 2022.
- What is the lowest share of co₂ emissions embedded in trade recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.6% in 1990.
- How does United Kingdom rank for share of co₂ emissions embedded in trade?
- United Kingdom ranks 28th out of 120 countries with data for 2023.
- Is share of co₂ emissions embedded in trade rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 89.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of CO₂ emissions embedded in trade. 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
Annual net carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions embedded in trade, measured as a percentage of emissions of CO₂.