CO₂ Emissions
Tracking who emits the most CO₂, how emissions have changed over time, and the cumulative burden each country carries. From the world's top annual emitters to per-capita rankings and all-time historical totals, this dashboard maps the full picture of CO₂ output by country and region. Explore how individual nations have contributed to the global carbon budget from industrialisation to the present day, and how the balance of responsibility continues to shift.
Global Data
Key Facts (2024)
Last updated: 17 Aug 2026Source: Our World in Data / Global Carbon Project.
Global CO₂ Emissions Map
Hover over any country to see its emissions. Toggle between per-capita and total annual views. Source: Global Carbon Project via Our World in Data (2024).
Top Emitters
Top 10 Annual CO₂ Emitters
The top 10 countries produce over two-thirds of global annual CO₂ emissions. Source: Our World in Data – Global Carbon Project.
Top 10 Emitters Per Capita
Per-capita figures highlight small, fossil-fuel-rich nations - the biggest absolute emitters often rank lower here. Source: Our World in Data – Global Carbon Project.
Top 10 Cumulative CO₂ Emitters
CO₂ persists for centuries, so early-industrialised nations carry a disproportionate share of the total warming burden. Source: Our World in Data – Global Carbon Project.
How Are We Emitting?
Global CO₂ by Fuel Source
Consumption vs Production - Who Emits for Whom?
Beyond CO₂
All Greenhouse Gases - Methane & N₂O
Carbon Budget Countdown
Global Trends
Global Annual CO₂ Emissions
To limit warming to 1.5 °C, global emissions must roughly halve by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050. Source: Our World in Data – Global Carbon Project.
Top 5 Emitters Over Time
How the biggest emitters have evolved since 1950, showing shifting patterns of industrial development. Source: Our World in Data – Global Carbon Project.
Cumulative Global CO₂ Emissions
Cumulative CO₂ determines long-term warming – even if emissions stopped today, existing CO₂ would warm the planet for centuries. Source: Our World in Data – Global Carbon Project.
Explore
Explore Climate Data
FAQs
FAQs
What does the emissions page show?
Annual fossil-fuel CO₂ emissions by country, region and sector, plus per-capita and cumulative (historical) emissions. The live panels above show the latest annual totals, the country rankings and the breakdown by sector and fuel type.
What is the difference between annual, per-capita and cumulative emissions?
Annual emissions are the total CO₂ a country emitted in a single year - useful for tracking current trends. Per-capita emissions divide that by population - useful for comparing the climate footprint of an average resident. Cumulative emissions sum every year since 1850 - useful for measuring historical responsibility, since CO₂ stays in the atmosphere for centuries and long-term warming is driven by total cumulative emissions.
Where does the emissions data come from?
Emissions data come from the Global Carbon Project and the Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Centre (CDIAC), processed and visualised by Our World in Data. Per-capita and cumulative figures are calculated against UN population estimates. Sectoral breakdowns use the IEA and EDGAR datasets.
Are land-use emissions included?
The headline figures on this page focus on fossil-fuel CO₂. Land-use change (deforestation, forest regrowth, peatland loss) adds a substantial additional flux that is reported separately by the Global Carbon Project. Where included it is labelled clearly on the chart.
How often is this page updated?
The Global Carbon Project publishes its full annual budget once a year, typically in November or December (covering data through the previous year). The live panels on this page update at that point and on each subsequent monthly site refresh.