Share of global cumulative CO₂ emissions from coal in China
China: Share of global cumulative CO₂ emissions from coal was 25.1% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of global cumulative CO₂ emissions from coal in China, 1907–2024
Source: Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, share of global cumulative co₂ emissions from coal in China stood at 25.1%. That is the highest value across all 118 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.4% on the previous year and up 30.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of global cumulative co₂ emissions from coal in China peaked at 25.1% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1907.
That places China 1st 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 cumulative CO₂ emissions from coal in China, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1907 | 0.0% | — |
| 1908 | 0.1% | +105.3% |
| 1909 | 0.1% | +50.3% |
| 1910 | 0.1% | +31.6% |
| 1911 | 0.2% | +21.6% |
| 1912 | 0.2% | +9.9% |
| 1913 | 0.2% | +13.1% |
| 1914 | 0.2% | +12.6% |
| 1915 | 0.3% | +9.8% |
| 1916 | 0.3% | +10.2% |
| 1917 | 0.3% | +9.2% |
| 1918 | 0.3% | +8.9% |
| 1919 | 0.4% | +9.2% |
| 1920 | 0.4% | +8.1% |
| 1921 | 0.4% | +7.2% |
| 1922 | 0.4% | +6.5% |
| 1923 | 0.5% | +6.8% |
| 1924 | 0.5% | +6.4% |
| 1925 | 0.5% | +5.2% |
| 1926 | 0.6% | +4.4% |
| 1927 | 0.6% | +4.1% |
| 1928 | 0.6% | +4.0% |
| 1929 | 0.6% | +3.5% |
| 1930 | 0.6% | +3.6% |
| 1931 | 0.7% | +3.9% |
| 1932 | 0.7% | +3.6% |
| 1933 | 0.7% | +3.7% |
| 1934 | 0.7% | +4.1% |
| 1935 | 0.8% | +4.6% |
| 1936 | 0.8% | +4.2% |
| 1937 | 0.8% | +3.4% |
| 1938 | 0.9% | +2.6% |
| 1939 | 0.9% | +3.2% |
| 1940 | 0.9% | +3.8% |
| 1941 | 1.0% | +4.9% |
| 1942 | 1.0% | +5.3% |
| 1943 | 1.1% | +3.8% |
| 1944 | 1.1% | +3.2% |
| 1945 | 1.1% | +1.1% |
| 1946 | 1.1% | -0.0% |
| 1947 | 1.1% | +0.1% |
| 1948 | 1.1% | -0.2% |
| 1949 | 1.1% | +1.0% |
| 1950 | 1.1% | +1.5% |
| 1951 | 1.2% | +2.3% |
| 1952 | 1.2% | +3.3% |
| 1953 | 1.2% | +3.2% |
| 1954 | 1.3% | +4.0% |
| 1955 | 1.3% | +4.5% |
| 1956 | 1.4% | +4.8% |
| 1957 | 1.5% | +5.5% |
| 1958 | 1.7% | +12.6% |
| 1959 | 1.9% | +15.4% |
| 1960 | 2.2% | +13.8% |
| 1961 | 2.4% | +7.6% |
| 1962 | 2.5% | +4.9% |
| 1963 | 2.6% | +4.4% |
| 1964 | 2.7% | +3.9% |
| 1965 | 2.8% | +4.0% |
| 1966 | 2.9% | +4.2% |
| 1967 | 3.0% | +2.8% |
| 1968 | 3.1% | +3.0% |
| 1969 | 3.2% | +3.7% |
| 1970 | 3.4% | +5.1% |
| 1971 | 3.6% | +5.4% |
| 1972 | 3.7% | +5.2% |
| 1973 | 3.9% | +4.8% |
| 1974 | 4.1% | +4.4% |
| 1975 | 4.3% | +5.0% |
| 1976 | 4.5% | +4.5% |
| 1977 | 4.7% | +4.7% |
| 1978 | 4.9% | +5.0% |
| 1979 | 5.2% | +4.7% |
| 1980 | 5.4% | +4.1% |
| 1981 | 5.6% | +3.8% |
| 1982 | 5.8% | +4.1% |
| 1983 | 6.1% | +4.1% |
| 1984 | 6.3% | +4.3% |
| 1985 | 6.6% | +4.3% |
| 1986 | 6.9% | +4.2% |
| 1987 | 7.1% | +4.2% |
| 1988 | 7.4% | +4.2% |
| 1989 | 7.7% | +4.0% |
| 1990 | 8.0% | +3.9% |
| 1991 | 8.3% | +3.8% |
| 1992 | 8.7% | +3.7% |
| 1993 | 9.0% | +3.7% |
| 1994 | 9.3% | +3.8% |
| 1995 | 9.7% | +3.9% |
| 1996 | 10.1% | +3.8% |
| 1997 | 10.4% | +3.4% |
| 1998 | 10.7% | +2.9% |
| 1999 | 11.0% | +3.0% |
| 2000 | 11.3% | +2.8% |
| 2001 | 11.6% | +2.6% |
| 2002 | 12.0% | +3.0% |
| 2003 | 12.4% | +3.5% |
| 2004 | 12.8% | +3.6% |
| 2005 | 13.3% | +4.0% |
| 2006 | 13.9% | +4.2% |
| 2007 | 14.5% | +4.2% |
| 2008 | 15.1% | +4.3% |
| 2009 | 15.8% | +4.3% |
| 2010 | 16.4% | +4.3% |
| 2011 | 17.2% | +4.5% |
| 2012 | 17.9% | +4.3% |
| 2013 | 18.6% | +3.9% |
| 2014 | 19.3% | +3.5% |
| 2015 | 19.9% | +3.2% |
| 2016 | 20.5% | +2.9% |
| 2017 | 21.0% | +2.8% |
| 2018 | 21.6% | +2.6% |
| 2019 | 22.2% | +2.6% |
| 2020 | 22.7% | +2.6% |
| 2021 | 23.3% | +2.5% |
| 2022 | 23.9% | +2.6% |
| 2023 | 24.5% | +2.5% |
| 2024 | 25.1% | +2.4% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 25.1% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.0%, 1933.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
- China's 25.1% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.1%, 329.7× the median. (25 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of global cumulative CO₂ emissions from coal in China 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1908 | +105.3% | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| 1909 | +50.3% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 1910 | +31.6% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.1% | 3 |
| 1910s | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.4% | 10 |
| 1920s | 0.5% | 0.4% | 0.6% | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.8% | 0.6% | 0.9% | 10 |
| 1940s | 1.1% | 0.9% | 1.1% | 10 |
| 1950s | 1.4% | 1.1% | 1.9% | 10 |
| 1960s | 2.7% | 2.2% | 3.2% | 10 |
| 1970s | 4.2% | 3.4% | 5.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.5% | 5.4% | 7.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 9.5% | 8.0% | 11.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 13.3% | 11.3% | 15.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 19.5% | 16.4% | 22.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 23.9% | 22.7% | 25.1% | 5 |
Countries ranked near China
- 2 United States 20.7% compare
- 3 Germany 7.7% compare
- 4 United Kingdom 6.7% compare
More climate change data for China
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 31.25 billion kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 604,831 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 191,478 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 413,353 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 722.56 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 14,763 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 342,069 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 200,605 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 141,464 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 757 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of global cumulative co₂ emissions from coal in China?
- Share of global cumulative co₂ emissions from coal in China was 25.1% in 2024, according to Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of global cumulative co₂ emissions from coal recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 25.1% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of global cumulative co₂ emissions from coal recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1907.
- How does China rank for share of global cumulative co₂ emissions from coal?
- China ranks 1st out of 179 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of global cumulative co₂ emissions from coal rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 30.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China 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 cumulative CO₂ emissions from coal. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 118 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Cumulative emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂) from coal since the first year of available data, measured as a percentage of global cumulative emissions of CO₂ from coal.