Emissions-weighted carbon price in emissions trading systems in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Emissions-weighted carbon price in emissions trading systems was 20.26 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
20.26 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents
Change on year
up 17.1%
World rank
28th
of 200 countries
All-time high
37.64 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents
in 2022
All-time low
0 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents
in 1989
Years of data
37
1989–2025
Emissions-weighted carbon price in emissions trading systems in United Kingdom, 1989–2025
Source: Dolphin and Merkle (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents.
Analysis
In 2025, emissions-weighted carbon price in emissions trading systems in United Kingdom stood at 20.26 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents.
That represents a change of up 17.1% on the previous year and up 328.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, emissions-weighted carbon price in emissions trading systems in United Kingdom peaked at 37.64 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents in 2022 and was at its lowest, 0 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents, in 1989.
That places United Kingdom 28th out of 200 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Emissions-weighted carbon price in emissions trading systems in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 0 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents | — |
| 1990 | 0 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents | — |
| 1991 | 0 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents | — |
| 1992 | 0 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents | — |
| 1993 | 0 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents | — |
| 1994 | 0 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents | — |
| 1995 | 0 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents | — |
| 1996 | 0 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents | — |
| 1997 | 0 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents | — |
| 1998 | 0 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents | — |
| 1999 | 0 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents | — |
| 2000 | 0 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents | — |
| 2001 | 0 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents | — |
| 2002 | 0 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents | — |
| 2003 | 0 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents | — |
| 2004 | 0 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents | — |
| 2005 | 18.17 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents | — |
| 2006 | 14.9 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents | -18.0% |
| 2007 | 0.5462 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents | -96.3% |
| 2008 | 13.81 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents | +2427.4% |
| 2009 | 9.85 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents | -28.7% |
| 2010 | 10.57 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents | +7.3% |
| 2011 | 9.47 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents | -10.5% |
| 2012 | 5.36 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents | -43.4% |
| 2013 | 3.09 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents | -42.3% |
| 2014 | 3.94 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents | +27.6% |
| 2015 | 4.73 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents | +19.9% |
| 2016 | 2.94 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents | -37.8% |
| 2017 | 3.02 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents | +2.6% |
| 2018 | 7.8 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents | +158.5% |
| 2019 | 11.86 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents | +52.0% |
| 2020 | 11.17 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents | -5.8% |
| 2021 | 26.81 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents | +140.1% |
| 2022 | 37.64 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents | +40.4% |
| 2023 | 24.6 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents | -34.6% |
| 2024 | 17.3 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents | -29.7% |
| 2025 | 20.26 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents | +17.1% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 20.26 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents is above the median for high income countries, which is 2.68 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents, 7.6× the median. (67 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 20.26 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 18.44 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents, 1.1× the median. (52 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Emissions-weighted carbon price in emissions trading systems in United Kingdom 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | +2427.4% | 0.5462 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents | 13.81 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents | 0 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents | 0 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents | 1 |
| 1990s | 0 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents | 0 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents | 0 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.73 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents | 0 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents | 18.17 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.28 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents | 2.94 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents | 11.86 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 2020s | 22.96 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents | 11.17 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents | 37.64 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
- 25 Estonia 26.78 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents compare
- 26 Lithuania 25.18 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents compare
- 27 Hungary 23.26 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents compare
- 29 Latvia 16.61 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents compare
- 30 Australia 15.99 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents compare
- 31 Switzerland 13.47 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents compare
More climate change data for United Kingdom
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 37,706 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 8,697 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 29,008 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 32.82 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 1,036 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 7,083 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 7,027 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 55.89 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 26.52 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 2 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is emissions-weighted carbon price in emissions trading systems in United Kingdom?
- Emissions-weighted carbon price in emissions trading systems in United Kingdom was 20.26 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents in 2025, according to Dolphin and Merkle (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest emissions-weighted carbon price in emissions trading systems recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 37.64 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents in 2022.
- What is the lowest emissions-weighted carbon price in emissions trading systems recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 constant 2021 US$ per tonne of CO₂ equivalents in 1989.
- How does United Kingdom rank for emissions-weighted carbon price in emissions trading systems?
- United Kingdom ranks 28th out of 200 countries with data for 2025.
- Is emissions-weighted carbon price in emissions trading systems rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 328.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from Dolphin and Merkle (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Emissions-weighted carbon price in emissions trading systems. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 37 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
This data is expressed in US dollars. It is adjusted for inflation but does not account for differences in the cost of living between countries.