Share of CO₂ emissions embedded in trade in United States
United States: Share of CO₂ emissions embedded in trade was 10.4% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Share of CO₂ emissions embedded in trade in United States, 1990–2023
Source: Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2023, share of co₂ emissions embedded in trade in United States stood at 10.4%. That is the highest value across all 34 years on record.
The figure is up 3.3% on the previous year and up 247.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of co₂ emissions embedded in trade in United States peaked at 10.4% in 2023 and was at its lowest, -2.0%, in 1991.
United States ranks 78th of 120 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of CO₂ emissions embedded in trade in United States, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | -1.6% | — |
| 1991 | -2.0% | +28.3% |
| 1992 | 0.2% | -108.4% |
| 1993 | -1.0% | -686.6% |
| 1994 | -0.7% | -26.0% |
| 1995 | -0.7% | -1.5% |
| 1996 | -1.0% | +37.8% |
| 1997 | -0.6% | -39.0% |
| 1998 | 1.8% | -393.8% |
| 1999 | 2.4% | +32.3% |
| 2000 | 3.4% | +45.0% |
| 2001 | 4.2% | +21.3% |
| 2002 | 5.5% | +31.8% |
| 2003 | 7.1% | +30.3% |
| 2004 | 7.3% | +1.8% |
| 2005 | 8.6% | +18.8% |
| 2006 | 9.5% | +9.9% |
| 2007 | 6.6% | -30.2% |
| 2008 | 5.0% | -23.7% |
| 2009 | 4.4% | -13.4% |
| 2010 | 3.9% | -11.1% |
| 2011 | 3.6% | -7.9% |
| 2012 | 4.1% | +14.6% |
| 2013 | 3.0% | -26.9% |
| 2014 | 4.1% | +36.7% |
| 2015 | 6.1% | +47.5% |
| 2016 | 6.0% | -1.6% |
| 2017 | 6.4% | +6.9% |
| 2018 | 6.0% | -5.3% |
| 2019 | 6.6% | +9.0% |
| 2020 | 8.8% | +34.0% |
| 2021 | 9.4% | +6.2% |
| 2022 | 10.1% | +8.0% |
| 2023 | 10.4% | +3.3% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 10.4% is below the median for high income countries, which is 27.2%, 38% of the median. (52 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of CO₂ emissions embedded in trade in United States 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | -686.6% | 0.2% | -1.0% |
| 1998 | +393.8% | -0.6% | 1.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | -0.3% | -2.0% | 2.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 6.2% | 3.4% | 9.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.0% | 3.0% | 6.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.7% | 8.8% | 10.4% | 4 |
Countries ranked near United States
More climate change data for United States
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 274,482 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 60,922 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 213,560 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 229.89 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 7,627 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 107,381 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 89,068 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 18,313 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 336.11 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 654.05 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of co₂ emissions embedded in trade in United States?
- Share of co₂ emissions embedded in trade in United States was 10.4% 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 States?
- The highest recorded value was 10.4% in 2023.
- What is the lowest share of co₂ emissions embedded in trade recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was -2.0% in 1991.
- How does United States rank for share of co₂ emissions embedded in trade?
- United States ranks 78th out of 120 countries with data for 2023.
- Is share of co₂ emissions embedded in trade rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is up 247.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United States 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.