Share of global methane emissions in China
China: Share of global methane emissions was 16.5% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
16.5%
Change on year
up 2.2%
World rank
1st
of 201 countries
All-time high
20.4%
in 1850
All-time low
9.1%
in 1963
Years of data
175
1850–2024
Share of global methane emissions in China, 1850–2024
Source: Jones et al. (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of global methane emissions in China is 16.5%, measured in 2024.
The figure is up 2.2% on the previous year and up 7.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of global methane emissions in China peaked at 20.4% in 1850 and was at its lowest, 9.1%, in 1963.
China ranks 1st of 201 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 175 years of available data.
Share of global methane emissions in China, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1850 | 20.4% | — |
| 1851 | 20.1% | -1.2% |
| 1852 | 19.8% | -1.4% |
| 1853 | 19.5% | -1.5% |
| 1854 | 19.2% | -1.8% |
| 1855 | 18.9% | -1.4% |
| 1856 | 18.6% | -1.5% |
| 1857 | 18.4% | -1.3% |
| 1858 | 18.1% | -1.3% |
| 1859 | 17.8% | -1.6% |
| 1860 | 17.5% | -1.7% |
| 1861 | 17.3% | -1.1% |
| 1862 | 17.2% | -1.0% |
| 1863 | 16.9% | -1.3% |
| 1864 | 16.7% | -1.3% |
| 1865 | 16.5% | -1.2% |
| 1866 | 16.3% | -1.2% |
| 1867 | 16.1% | -1.1% |
| 1868 | 16.0% | -1.0% |
| 1869 | 15.8% | -1.2% |
| 1870 | 15.6% | -1.0% |
| 1871 | 15.5% | -0.7% |
| 1872 | 15.4% | -1.0% |
| 1873 | 15.2% | -0.8% |
| 1874 | 15.2% | -0.1% |
| 1875 | 15.1% | -0.8% |
| 1876 | 15.0% | -0.5% |
| 1877 | 15.0% | -0.5% |
| 1878 | 14.9% | -0.4% |
| 1879 | 14.8% | -0.7% |
| 1880 | 14.6% | -1.1% |
| 1881 | 14.5% | -0.8% |
| 1882 | 14.4% | -0.8% |
| 1883 | 14.3% | -0.9% |
| 1884 | 14.2% | -0.4% |
| 1885 | 14.1% | -0.4% |
| 1886 | 14.1% | -0.5% |
| 1887 | 14.0% | -0.8% |
| 1888 | 13.8% | -1.2% |
| 1889 | 13.7% | -0.4% |
| 1890 | 13.6% | -1.2% |
| 1891 | 13.5% | -0.6% |
| 1892 | 13.5% | -0.2% |
| 1893 | 13.5% | +0.1% |
| 1894 | 13.4% | -0.6% |
| 1895 | 13.3% | -0.8% |
| 1896 | 13.2% | -0.4% |
| 1897 | 13.2% | -0.6% |
| 1898 | 13.1% | -0.7% |
| 1899 | 12.9% | -1.1% |
| 1900 | 12.8% | -0.9% |
| 1901 | 12.7% | -0.5% |
| 1902 | 12.7% | -0.4% |
| 1903 | 12.6% | -1.1% |
| 1904 | 12.5% | -0.3% |
| 1905 | 12.4% | -0.7% |
| 1906 | 12.4% | -0.0% |
| 1907 | 12.2% | -1.9% |
| 1908 | 12.3% | +0.8% |
| 1909 | 12.2% | -1.0% |
| 1910 | 12.1% | -0.9% |
| 1911 | 12.2% | +0.7% |
| 1912 | 12.0% | -1.2% |
| 1913 | 11.9% | -0.7% |
| 1914 | 12.2% | +2.4% |
| 1915 | 12.3% | +0.6% |
| 1916 | 12.2% | -0.7% |
| 1917 | 12.2% | -0.2% |
| 1918 | 12.3% | +1.4% |
| 1919 | 12.6% | +2.5% |
| 1920 | 12.5% | -1.6% |
| 1921 | 12.7% | +1.9% |
| 1922 | 12.5% | -1.7% |
| 1923 | 12.2% | -2.5% |
| 1924 | 12.1% | -0.7% |
| 1925 | 12.0% | -0.7% |
| 1926 | 12.0% | -0.3% |
| 1927 | 11.7% | -2.2% |
| 1928 | 11.7% | -0.3% |
| 1929 | 11.5% | -1.8% |
| 1930 | 11.5% | +0.3% |
| 1931 | 11.6% | +1.2% |
| 1932 | 11.7% | +0.6% |
| 1933 | 11.6% | -0.8% |
| 1934 | 11.4% | -1.4% |
| 1935 | 11.4% | -0.8% |
| 1936 | 11.1% | -1.9% |
| 1937 | 10.9% | -1.9% |
| 1938 | 10.9% | -0.1% |
| 1939 | 10.8% | -0.9% |
| 1940 | 10.7% | -0.7% |
| 1941 | 10.7% | -0.0% |
| 1942 | 10.7% | -0.3% |
| 1943 | 10.5% | -2.2% |
| 1944 | 10.4% | -0.8% |
| 1945 | 10.3% | -1.2% |
| 1946 | 9.9% | -3.5% |
| 1947 | 9.6% | -2.8% |
| 1948 | 9.5% | -1.7% |
| 1949 | 9.5% | +0.8% |
| 1950 | 9.4% | -1.2% |
| 1951 | 9.4% | +0.1% |
| 1952 | 9.5% | +0.8% |
| 1953 | 9.4% | -0.7% |
| 1954 | 9.4% | -0.1% |
| 1955 | 9.2% | -2.2% |
| 1956 | 9.1% | -0.9% |
| 1957 | 9.1% | -0.1% |
| 1958 | 10.0% | +9.8% |
| 1959 | 10.4% | +3.4% |
| 1960 | 10.3% | -0.4% |
| 1961 | 9.6% | -7.3% |
| 1962 | 9.1% | -5.2% |
| 1963 | 9.1% | -0.2% |
| 1964 | 9.3% | +2.3% |
| 1965 | 9.3% | +0.5% |
| 1966 | 9.4% | +0.3% |
| 1967 | 9.1% | -2.3% |
| 1968 | 9.1% | +0.1% |
| 1969 | 9.2% | +1.1% |
| 1970 | 9.7% | +5.3% |
| 1971 | 10.0% | +3.1% |
| 1972 | 10.1% | +0.4% |
| 1973 | 9.9% | -1.5% |
| 1974 | 10.0% | +0.7% |
| 1975 | 10.3% | +2.7% |
| 1976 | 10.2% | -0.4% |
| 1977 | 10.3% | +1.1% |
| 1978 | 10.5% | +1.9% |
| 1979 | 10.4% | -1.5% |
| 1980 | 10.5% | +0.9% |
| 1981 | 10.7% | +2.2% |
| 1982 | 10.7% | +0.6% |
| 1983 | 11.0% | +2.5% |
| 1984 | 11.2% | +1.6% |
| 1985 | 11.2% | -0.1% |
| 1986 | 11.3% | +1.0% |
| 1987 | 11.4% | +1.4% |
| 1988 | 11.5% | +0.6% |
| 1989 | 11.7% | +1.2% |
| 1990 | 11.8% | +1.2% |
| 1991 | 11.9% | +1.1% |
| 1992 | 12.0% | +0.3% |
| 1993 | 12.0% | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 12.2% | +1.6% |
| 1995 | 12.7% | +4.3% |
| 1996 | 12.9% | +1.2% |
| 1997 | 12.4% | -4.1% |
| 1998 | 12.6% | +1.5% |
| 1999 | 12.6% | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 12.6% | -0.2% |
| 2001 | 12.7% | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 12.8% | +0.9% |
| 2003 | 13.0% | +2.0% |
| 2004 | 13.6% | +4.1% |
| 2005 | 14.0% | +3.0% |
| 2006 | 14.3% | +2.0% |
| 2007 | 14.3% | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 14.3% | -0.2% |
| 2009 | 14.6% | +1.8% |
| 2010 | 14.8% | +1.9% |
| 2011 | 15.3% | +3.4% |
| 2012 | 15.2% | -1.1% |
| 2013 | 15.4% | +1.4% |
| 2014 | 15.4% | -0.2% |
| 2015 | 15.3% | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 14.8% | -3.4% |
| 2017 | 14.8% | -0.2% |
| 2018 | 14.9% | +1.1% |
| 2019 | 15.0% | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 15.5% | +2.9% |
| 2021 | 15.7% | +1.5% |
| 2022 | 16.0% | +2.2% |
| 2023 | 16.1% | +0.4% |
| 2024 | 16.5% | +2.2% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 16.5% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.1%, 135.7× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- China's 16.5% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.1%, 296.9× the median. (32 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1850s | 19.1% | 17.8% | 20.4% | 10 |
| 1860s | 16.6% | 15.8% | 17.5% | 10 |
| 1870s | 15.2% | 14.8% | 15.6% | 10 |
| 1880s | 14.2% | 13.7% | 14.6% | 10 |
| 1890s | 13.3% | 12.9% | 13.6% | 10 |
| 1900s | 12.5% | 12.2% | 12.8% | 10 |
| 1910s | 12.2% | 11.9% | 12.6% | 10 |
| 1920s | 12.1% | 11.5% | 12.7% | 10 |
| 1930s | 11.3% | 10.8% | 11.7% | 10 |
| 1940s | 10.2% | 9.5% | 10.7% | 10 |
| 1950s | 9.5% | 9.1% | 10.4% | 10 |
| 1960s | 9.4% | 9.1% | 10.3% | 10 |
| 1970s | 10.1% | 9.7% | 10.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 11.1% | 10.5% | 11.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 12.3% | 11.8% | 12.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 13.6% | 12.6% | 14.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 15.1% | 14.8% | 15.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 16.0% | 15.5% | 16.5% | 5 |
Countries ranked near China
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 methane emissions in China?
- Share of global methane emissions in China was 16.5% in 2024, according to Jones et al. (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of global methane emissions recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 20.4% in 1850.
- What is the lowest share of global methane emissions recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.1% in 1963.
- How does China rank for share of global methane emissions?
- China ranks 1st out of 201 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of global methane emissions rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Jones et al. (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of global methane emissions. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 175 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Measured as a percentage of the world's methane emissions.