Share of global CO₂ emissions from coal in United States
United States: Share of global CO₂ emissions from coal was 4.6% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
4.6%
Change on year
down 4.4%
World rank
3rd
of 179 countries
All-time high
48.2%
in 1918
All-time low
0.7%
in 1802
Years of data
225
1800–2024
Share of global CO₂ emissions from coal in United States, 1800–2024
Source: Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of global co₂ emissions from coal in United States is 4.6%, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of down 4.4% on the previous year and down 58.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of global co₂ emissions from coal in United States peaked at 48.2% in 1918 and was at its lowest, 0.7%, in 1802.
That places United States 3rd out of 179 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of global CO₂ emissions from coal in United States, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1800 | 0.8% | — |
| 1801 | 0.8% | +8.5% |
| 1802 | 0.7% | -14.1% |
| 1803 | 1.0% | +39.9% |
| 1804 | 1.0% | +4.5% |
| 1805 | 1.1% | +3.9% |
| 1806 | 1.0% | -6.5% |
| 1807 | 1.0% | +2.3% |
| 1808 | 1.1% | +5.9% |
| 1809 | 1.1% | +0.4% |
| 1810 | 1.1% | -4.7% |
| 1811 | 1.1% | +5.2% |
| 1812 | 1.2% | +6.5% |
| 1813 | 1.3% | +6.6% |
| 1814 | 1.3% | +5.1% |
| 1815 | 1.4% | +3.8% |
| 1816 | 1.5% | +5.7% |
| 1817 | 1.5% | -0.0% |
| 1818 | 1.5% | +4.2% |
| 1819 | 1.5% | -1.5% |
| 1820 | 1.6% | +4.2% |
| 1821 | 1.6% | +2.0% |
| 1822 | 1.6% | +0.6% |
| 1823 | 1.6% | -0.1% |
| 1824 | 1.8% | +10.2% |
| 1825 | 1.9% | +6.1% |
| 1826 | 2.1% | +14.6% |
| 1827 | 2.2% | +2.7% |
| 1828 | 2.4% | +8.6% |
| 1829 | 2.7% | +13.3% |
| 1830 | 2.3% | -13.3% |
| 1831 | 2.7% | +15.9% |
| 1832 | 3.7% | +35.4% |
| 1833 | 4.2% | +15.1% |
| 1834 | 3.8% | -10.1% |
| 1835 | 4.4% | +16.3% |
| 1836 | 4.4% | -0.1% |
| 1837 | 5.0% | +12.9% |
| 1838 | 4.8% | -4.9% |
| 1839 | 5.0% | +5.9% |
| 1840 | 4.9% | -1.8% |
| 1841 | 5.1% | +2.9% |
| 1842 | 5.3% | +5.1% |
| 1843 | 5.9% | +9.7% |
| 1844 | 6.6% | +11.8% |
| 1845 | 7.2% | +10.2% |
| 1846 | 8.1% | +11.5% |
| 1847 | 8.8% | +9.5% |
| 1848 | 9.7% | +9.6% |
| 1849 | 9.8% | +1.9% |
| 1850 | 10.1% | +2.1% |
| 1851 | 12.4% | +23.2% |
| 1852 | 12.9% | +4.1% |
| 1853 | 13.9% | +7.6% |
| 1854 | 13.0% | -6.4% |
| 1855 | 14.7% | +12.8% |
| 1856 | 14.4% | -1.9% |
| 1857 | 14.6% | +1.5% |
| 1858 | 14.6% | -0.1% |
| 1859 | 15.0% | +2.7% |
| 1860 | 14.2% | -5.0% |
| 1861 | 12.9% | -9.5% |
| 1862 | 13.0% | +1.2% |
| 1863 | 14.2% | +9.1% |
| 1864 | 14.2% | -0.4% |
| 1865 | 13.3% | -5.8% |
| 1866 | 12.9% | -3.1% |
| 1867 | 14.9% | +15.6% |
| 1868 | 16.4% | +10.0% |
| 1869 | 17.6% | +7.2% |
| 1870 | 18.1% | +2.9% |
| 1871 | 17.8% | -1.6% |
| 1872 | 19.8% | +10.8% |
| 1873 | 20.4% | +3.3% |
| 1874 | 20.9% | +2.3% |
| 1875 | 19.6% | -6.2% |
| 1876 | 18.9% | -3.5% |
| 1877 | 20.4% | +8.0% |
| 1878 | 19.7% | -3.5% |
| 1879 | 22.4% | +13.9% |
| 1880 | 22.3% | -0.4% |
| 1881 | 22.9% | +2.4% |
| 1882 | 24.3% | +6.2% |
| 1883 | 24.9% | +2.6% |
| 1884 | 26.0% | +4.2% |
| 1885 | 26.2% | +0.7% |
| 1886 | 26.8% | +2.5% |
| 1887 | 27.2% | +1.3% |
| 1888 | 29.9% | +10.0% |
| 1889 | 26.7% | -10.7% |
| 1890 | 29.5% | +10.7% |
| 1891 | 30.1% | +1.9% |
| 1892 | 31.8% | +5.5% |
| 1893 | 32.6% | +2.7% |
| 1894 | 29.3% | -10.2% |
| 1895 | 31.4% | +7.2% |
| 1896 | 30.3% | -3.5% |
| 1897 | 30.2% | -0.4% |
| 1898 | 31.4% | +4.0% |
| 1899 | 33.1% | +5.2% |
| 1900 | 33.3% | +0.7% |
| 1901 | 35.2% | +5.8% |
| 1902 | 36.2% | +2.7% |
| 1903 | 38.9% | +7.5% |
| 1904 | 37.6% | -3.2% |
| 1905 | 39.4% | +4.6% |
| 1906 | 39.7% | +1.0% |
| 1907 | 40.4% | +1.7% |
| 1908 | 36.4% | -9.9% |
| 1909 | 38.9% | +6.9% |
| 1910 | 40.4% | +3.8% |
| 1911 | 39.3% | -2.8% |
| 1912 | 40.0% | +1.9% |
| 1913 | 39.5% | -1.3% |
| 1914 | 39.4% | -0.1% |
| 1915 | 41.7% | +5.8% |
| 1916 | 42.9% | +2.8% |
| 1917 | 45.4% | +5.7% |
| 1918 | 48.2% | +6.3% |
| 1919 | 46.4% | -3.9% |
| 1920 | 46.8% | +0.9% |
| 1921 | 42.8% | -8.6% |
| 1922 | 40.1% | -6.2% |
| 1923 | 47.9% | +19.4% |
| 1924 | 41.6% | -13.2% |
| 1925 | 42.5% | +2.2% |
| 1926 | 47.9% | +12.7% |
| 1927 | 40.9% | -14.6% |
| 1928 | 40.2% | -1.7% |
| 1929 | 39.9% | -0.9% |
| 1930 | 38.5% | -3.4% |
| 1931 | 36.1% | -6.3% |
| 1932 | 33.1% | -8.3% |
| 1933 | 33.7% | +2.0% |
| 1934 | 33.5% | -0.8% |
| 1935 | 32.8% | -2.1% |
| 1936 | 34.8% | +6.2% |
| 1937 | 33.0% | -5.0% |
| 1938 | 28.1% | -15.0% |
| 1939 | 29.8% | +6.3% |
| 1940 | 30.8% | +3.2% |
| 1941 | 33.3% | +8.2% |
| 1942 | 37.3% | +11.9% |
| 1943 | 37.5% | +0.4% |
| 1944 | 40.0% | +6.7% |
| 1945 | 47.4% | +18.6% |
| 1946 | 40.1% | -15.3% |
| 1947 | 40.0% | -0.3% |
| 1948 | 38.3% | -4.2% |
| 1949 | 30.0% | -21.8% |
| 1950 | 32.4% | +8.1% |
| 1951 | 29.7% | -8.4% |
| 1952 | 26.7% | -10.2% |
| 1953 | 26.2% | -1.5% |
| 1954 | 22.5% | -14.2% |
| 1955 | 23.4% | +3.8% |
| 1956 | 23.2% | -0.9% |
| 1957 | 21.8% | -5.8% |
| 1958 | 18.7% | -14.5% |
| 1959 | 18.4% | -1.4% |
| 1960 | 17.8% | -3.2% |
| 1961 | 17.9% | +0.9% |
| 1962 | 18.7% | +4.1% |
| 1963 | 19.3% | +3.4% |
| 1964 | 20.1% | +4.2% |
| 1965 | 20.6% | +2.5% |
| 1966 | 21.2% | +2.7% |
| 1967 | 22.1% | +4.4% |
| 1968 | 21.4% | -3.1% |
| 1969 | 21.0% | -2.0% |
| 1970 | 20.5% | -2.3% |
| 1971 | 19.4% | -5.2% |
| 1972 | 19.8% | +1.7% |
| 1973 | 20.8% | +5.2% |
| 1974 | 20.4% | -1.8% |
| 1975 | 19.6% | -4.1% |
| 1976 | 20.0% | +2.3% |
| 1977 | 20.0% | +0.1% |
| 1978 | 20.0% | -0.2% |
| 1979 | 20.6% | +2.8% |
| 1980 | 20.5% | -0.5% |
| 1981 | 21.0% | +2.5% |
| 1982 | 19.9% | -5.3% |
| 1983 | 20.3% | +2.2% |
| 1984 | 20.5% | +0.7% |
| 1985 | 19.6% | -4.1% |
| 1986 | 19.1% | -2.7% |
| 1987 | 19.4% | +1.8% |
| 1988 | 19.7% | +1.2% |
| 1989 | 19.8% | +0.9% |
| 1990 | 20.6% | +3.7% |
| 1991 | 20.6% | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 21.3% | +3.5% |
| 1993 | 21.8% | +2.4% |
| 1994 | 21.8% | -0.0% |
| 1995 | 21.4% | -1.8% |
| 1996 | 21.7% | +1.5% |
| 1997 | 22.3% | +2.7% |
| 1998 | 23.2% | +4.1% |
| 1999 | 22.9% | -1.6% |
| 2000 | 23.2% | +1.4% |
| 2001 | 22.3% | -3.7% |
| 2002 | 21.4% | -4.1% |
| 2003 | 20.1% | -6.2% |
| 2004 | 19.6% | -2.5% |
| 2005 | 18.6% | -4.9% |
| 2006 | 17.3% | -6.9% |
| 2007 | 16.7% | -3.4% |
| 2008 | 15.9% | -4.7% |
| 2009 | 14.2% | -11.1% |
| 2010 | 14.0% | -1.3% |
| 2011 | 12.5% | -10.5% |
| 2012 | 10.9% | -12.6% |
| 2013 | 11.3% | +3.1% |
| 2014 | 11.2% | -0.6% |
| 2015 | 9.9% | -11.9% |
| 2016 | 9.2% | -6.7% |
| 2017 | 8.8% | -4.4% |
| 2018 | 8.3% | -5.9% |
| 2019 | 7.1% | -14.4% |
| 2020 | 6.0% | -15.7% |
| 2021 | 6.5% | +9.3% |
| 2022 | 5.9% | -9.4% |
| 2023 | 4.9% | -18.2% |
| 2024 | 4.6% | -4.4% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 4.6% is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.0%, 390.9× the median. (68 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of global CO₂ emissions from coal 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1803 | +39.9% | 0.7% | 1.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1800s | 1.0% | 0.7% | 1.1% | 10 |
| 1810s | 1.3% | 1.1% | 1.5% | 10 |
| 1820s | 1.9% | 1.6% | 2.7% | 10 |
| 1830s | 4.0% | 2.3% | 5.0% | 10 |
| 1840s | 7.1% | 4.9% | 9.8% | 10 |
| 1850s | 13.5% | 10.1% | 15.0% | 10 |
| 1860s | 14.4% | 12.9% | 17.6% | 10 |
| 1870s | 19.8% | 17.8% | 22.4% | 10 |
| 1880s | 25.7% | 22.3% | 29.9% | 10 |
| 1890s | 31.0% | 29.3% | 33.1% | 10 |
| 1900s | 37.6% | 33.3% | 40.4% | 10 |
| 1910s | 42.3% | 39.3% | 48.2% | 10 |
| 1920s | 43.1% | 39.9% | 47.9% | 10 |
| 1930s | 33.3% | 28.1% | 38.5% | 10 |
| 1940s | 37.5% | 30.0% | 47.4% | 10 |
| 1950s | 24.3% | 18.4% | 32.4% | 10 |
| 1960s | 20.0% | 17.8% | 22.1% | 10 |
| 1970s | 20.1% | 19.4% | 20.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 20.0% | 19.1% | 21.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 21.8% | 20.6% | 23.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 18.9% | 14.2% | 23.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.3% | 7.1% | 14.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.6% | 4.6% | 6.5% | 5 |
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 global co₂ emissions from coal in United States?
- Share of global co₂ emissions from coal in United States was 4.6% in 2024, according to Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of global co₂ emissions from coal recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 48.2% in 1918.
- What is the lowest share of global co₂ emissions from coal recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.7% in 1802.
- How does United States rank for share of global co₂ emissions from coal?
- United States ranks 3rd out of 179 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of global co₂ emissions from coal rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is down 58.6%. 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 global CO₂ emissions from coal. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 225 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Annual emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂) from coal, measured as a percentage of global emissions of CO₂ from coal in the same year.