Greenhouse gas emissions in Rwanda
Rwanda: Greenhouse gas emissions was 9.72 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
9.72 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents
Change on year
down 0.1%
World rank
147th
of 199 countries
All-time high
13.52 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents
in 1978
All-time low
805,837 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents
in 1909
Years of data
175
1850–2024
Greenhouse gas emissions in Rwanda, 1850–2024
Source: Jones et al. (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes of CO₂ equivalents.
Analysis
In 2024, greenhouse gas emissions in Rwanda stood at 9.72 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.1% on the previous year and up 15.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, greenhouse gas emissions in Rwanda peaked at 13.52 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents in 1978 and was at its lowest, 805,837 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents, in 1909.
That places Rwanda 147th out of 199 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Greenhouse gas emissions in Rwanda, year by year
| Year | tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1850 | 1.45 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | — |
| 1851 | 1.35 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -6.9% |
| 1852 | 1.31 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -2.4% |
| 1853 | 1.28 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -2.7% |
| 1854 | 1.26 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -1.5% |
| 1855 | 1.27 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.5% |
| 1856 | 1.24 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -1.8% |
| 1857 | 1.23 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -0.8% |
| 1858 | 1.23 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -0.5% |
| 1859 | 1.24 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.4% |
| 1860 | 1.23 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -1.1% |
| 1861 | 1.23 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -0.1% |
| 1862 | 1.23 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.2% |
| 1863 | 1.24 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.9% |
| 1864 | 1.24 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -0.2% |
| 1865 | 1.24 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -0.1% |
| 1866 | 1.24 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.3% |
| 1867 | 1.24 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -0.1% |
| 1868 | 1.25 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.5% |
| 1869 | 1.25 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -0.1% |
| 1870 | 1.26 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.2% |
| 1871 | 1.27 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.7% |
| 1872 | 1.30 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +2.6% |
| 1873 | 1.29 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -0.9% |
| 1874 | 1.29 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.3% |
| 1875 | 1.30 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.4% |
| 1876 | 1.37 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +5.1% |
| 1877 | 1.34 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -1.8% |
| 1878 | 1.33 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -0.6% |
| 1879 | 1.37 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +2.4% |
| 1880 | 1.42 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +4.2% |
| 1881 | 1.43 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.2% |
| 1882 | 1.63 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +14.5% |
| 1883 | 1.50 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -7.9% |
| 1884 | 1.50 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -0.6% |
| 1885 | 1.49 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -0.2% |
| 1886 | 1.50 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.7% |
| 1887 | 1.51 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.7% |
| 1888 | 1.52 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.6% |
| 1889 | 1.53 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.6% |
| 1890 | 1.43 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -6.8% |
| 1891 | 1.34 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -5.7% |
| 1892 | 1.28 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -5.2% |
| 1893 | 1.23 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -3.9% |
| 1894 | 1.18 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -3.5% |
| 1895 | 1.15 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -3.2% |
| 1896 | 1.11 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -2.9% |
| 1897 | 1.08 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -2.7% |
| 1898 | 1.06 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -2.5% |
| 1899 | 1.03 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -2.3% |
| 1900 | 1.00 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -3.1% |
| 1901 | 969,479 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -3.1% |
| 1902 | 938,524 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -3.2% |
| 1903 | 927,384 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -1.2% |
| 1904 | 889,693 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -4.1% |
| 1905 | 877,094 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -1.4% |
| 1906 | 849,143 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -3.2% |
| 1907 | 837,872 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -1.3% |
| 1908 | 811,872 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -3.1% |
| 1909 | 805,837 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -0.7% |
| 1910 | 821,655 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +2.0% |
| 1911 | 826,926 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.6% |
| 1912 | 874,502 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +5.8% |
| 1913 | 873,150 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -0.2% |
| 1914 | 902,017 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +3.3% |
| 1915 | 931,268 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +3.2% |
| 1916 | 951,757 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +2.2% |
| 1917 | 974,515 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +2.4% |
| 1918 | 978,060 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.4% |
| 1919 | 1.01 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +3.0% |
| 1920 | 1.36 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +35.1% |
| 1921 | 1.59 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +16.8% |
| 1922 | 1.79 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +12.7% |
| 1923 | 1.94 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +8.6% |
| 1924 | 2.07 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +6.5% |
| 1925 | 2.21 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +6.7% |
| 1926 | 2.33 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +5.5% |
| 1927 | 2.44 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +4.6% |
| 1928 | 2.54 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +4.1% |
| 1929 | 2.66 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +4.7% |
| 1930 | 2.81 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +5.5% |
| 1931 | 2.89 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +2.9% |
| 1932 | 2.99 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +3.4% |
| 1933 | 3.07 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +3.0% |
| 1934 | 3.16 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +2.8% |
| 1935 | 3.24 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +2.5% |
| 1936 | 3.32 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +2.6% |
| 1937 | 3.41 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +2.6% |
| 1938 | 3.44 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.8% |
| 1939 | 3.51 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +2.1% |
| 1940 | 3.74 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +6.7% |
| 1941 | 3.91 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +4.5% |
| 1942 | 4.04 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +3.2% |
| 1943 | 4.16 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +3.0% |
| 1944 | 4.34 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +4.3% |
| 1945 | 4.52 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +4.3% |
| 1946 | 4.73 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +4.6% |
| 1947 | 4.96 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +4.8% |
| 1948 | 5.03 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.4% |
| 1949 | 5.05 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.4% |
| 1950 | 5.64 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +11.6% |
| 1951 | 5.94 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +5.3% |
| 1952 | 6.24 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +5.1% |
| 1953 | 6.52 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +4.5% |
| 1954 | 6.74 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +3.4% |
| 1955 | 7.25 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +7.5% |
| 1956 | 7.55 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +4.2% |
| 1957 | 7.90 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +4.6% |
| 1958 | 7.95 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.6% |
| 1959 | 8.06 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.5% |
| 1960 | 7.21 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -10.6% |
| 1961 | 7.32 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.6% |
| 1962 | 7.64 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +4.4% |
| 1963 | 7.97 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +4.3% |
| 1964 | 7.78 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -2.4% |
| 1965 | 7.79 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.2% |
| 1966 | 8.01 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +2.8% |
| 1967 | 8.45 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +5.5% |
| 1968 | 8.92 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +5.5% |
| 1969 | 8.97 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.6% |
| 1970 | 10.77 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +20.0% |
| 1971 | 12.39 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +15.1% |
| 1972 | 10.99 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -11.3% |
| 1973 | 13.45 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +22.4% |
| 1974 | 13.00 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -3.3% |
| 1975 | 12.94 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -0.5% |
| 1976 | 12.60 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -2.7% |
| 1977 | 12.49 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -0.8% |
| 1978 | 13.52 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +8.3% |
| 1979 | 12.71 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -6.0% |
| 1980 | 13.48 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +6.0% |
| 1981 | 13.18 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -2.2% |
| 1982 | 13.17 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -0.1% |
| 1983 | 13.48 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +2.4% |
| 1984 | 11.41 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -15.4% |
| 1985 | 9.46 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -17.1% |
| 1986 | 7.82 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -17.4% |
| 1987 | 7.06 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -9.7% |
| 1988 | 6.53 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -7.5% |
| 1989 | 7.17 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +9.8% |
| 1990 | 6.39 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -11.0% |
| 1991 | 6.20 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -3.0% |
| 1992 | 4.90 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -20.9% |
| 1993 | 4.79 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -2.2% |
| 1994 | 5.26 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +9.7% |
| 1995 | 6.53 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +24.1% |
| 1996 | 7.29 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +11.7% |
| 1997 | 8.29 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +13.7% |
| 1998 | 7.06 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -14.9% |
| 1999 | 10.20 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +44.5% |
| 2000 | 9.68 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -5.1% |
| 2001 | 8.78 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -9.3% |
| 2002 | 7.44 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -15.3% |
| 2003 | 7.13 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -4.1% |
| 2004 | 6.83 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -4.2% |
| 2005 | 6.70 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -1.9% |
| 2006 | 7.20 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +7.4% |
| 2007 | 7.22 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.3% |
| 2008 | 7.49 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +3.8% |
| 2009 | 8.17 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +9.1% |
| 2010 | 8.47 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +3.7% |
| 2011 | 8.69 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +2.5% |
| 2012 | 8.55 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -1.5% |
| 2013 | 8.67 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.4% |
| 2014 | 8.38 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -3.4% |
| 2015 | 8.90 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +6.2% |
| 2016 | 8.76 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -1.5% |
| 2017 | 8.02 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -8.4% |
| 2018 | 8.11 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.1% |
| 2019 | 9.24 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +13.9% |
| 2020 | 10.45 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +13.2% |
| 2021 | 9.96 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -4.8% |
| 2022 | 9.90 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -0.5% |
| 2023 | 9.72 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -1.8% |
| 2024 | 9.72 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -0.1% |
Rwanda compared with similar countries
- Rwanda's 9.72 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents is below the median for low income countries, which is 52.13 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents, 19% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Rwanda's 9.72 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 41.41 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents, 23% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Greenhouse gas emissions in Rwanda 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | +44.5% | 7.06 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10.20 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents |
| 1920 | +35.1% | 1.01 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 1.36 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1850s | 1.29 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 1.23 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 1.45 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 1860s | 1.24 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 1.23 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 1.25 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 1870s | 1.31 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 1.26 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 1.37 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 1880s | 1.50 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 1.42 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 1.63 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 1890s | 1.19 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 1.03 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 1.43 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 1900s | 890,709 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 805,837 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 1.00 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 1910s | 914,145 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 821,655 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 1.01 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 1920s | 2.09 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 1.36 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 2.66 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 1930s | 3.18 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 2.81 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 3.51 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 1940s | 4.45 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 3.74 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 5.05 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 1950s | 6.98 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 5.64 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 8.06 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 1960s | 8.01 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 7.21 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 8.97 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 1970s | 12.48 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10.77 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 13.52 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 1980s | 10.28 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 6.53 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 13.48 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.69 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 4.79 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10.20 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.66 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 6.70 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 9.68 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.58 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 8.02 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 9.24 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.95 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 9.72 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10.45 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 5 |
Countries ranked near Rwanda
- 144 Eritrea 10.42 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents compare
- 145 Armenia 10.31 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents compare
- 146 El Salvador 9.87 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents compare
- 148 Burundi 9.70 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents compare
- 149 Cyprus 9.49 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents compare
- 150 Jamaica 9.09 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents compare
More climate change data for Rwanda
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 14.59 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 4,059 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 1,586 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 2,473 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 5.98 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 88.33 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 388.82 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 261.95 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 126.86 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 0.9885 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is greenhouse gas emissions in Rwanda?
- Greenhouse gas emissions in Rwanda was 9.72 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents in 2024, according to Jones et al. (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest greenhouse gas emissions recorded in Rwanda?
- The highest recorded value was 13.52 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents in 1978.
- What is the lowest greenhouse gas emissions recorded in Rwanda?
- The lowest recorded value was 805,837 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents in 1909.
- How does Rwanda rank for greenhouse gas emissions?
- Rwanda ranks 147th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is greenhouse gas emissions rising or falling in Rwanda?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Rwanda data come from?
- The figures come from Jones et al. (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Greenhouse gas 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
Greenhouse gas emissions are measured in tonnes of carbon dioxide-equivalents over a 100-year timescale.