Table of contents

Overview

Almost two thirds of the world's carbon dioxide emissions are caused by 10 countries, around a quarter and a sixth respectively by China and the USA alone. Germany is in 6th place in the hit list of climate sinners. Both the number of inhabitants and the per capita emissions play a role in the total emissions of a country. For example, one person in the USA produces almost twice as much carbon dioxide as one in Germany and more than eight times as much as one in India.

Global carbon dioxide emissions and carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere are continuously increasing. Since 1970, global energy-related carbon dioxide emissions have more than doubled, and have even increased more than fifteenfold since the beginning of the last century. Since 2013, however, emissions have been rising at a much slower rate. This gives some hope that a stabilisation and then a turnaround of the trend can be achieved. Emissions fell in 2020 due to the consequences of the corona pandemic. However, this did not last: in 2021, the highest level of emissions in human history was recorded.

The concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has risen from around 290 ppm in 1860 to around 415 ppm today. A value of 450 ppm is widely regarded as the upper limit that should not be exceeded if possible.

No.	Country	CO2 emissions in Gt	Per capita emissions in t
1	China	9,92	7,1
2	USA	4,41	14,4
3	India	2,31	1,7
4	Russia	1,64	11,4
5	Japan	1,06	8,4
6	Germany	0,64	7,8
7	South Korea	0,59	11,3
8	Iran	0,58	7,0
9	Indonesia	0,58	2,2
10	Canada	0,57	15,2

Back to table of contents

Back to table of contents

Back to table of contents

Year	CO2 emissions in Gt	CO2 concentration in the atmosphere in ppm
2021	36,26 1)	415 2)
2020	34,22 1)	412 2)
2019	36,08 1)	410 2)
2018	36,06 1)	408 2)
2017	35,21 1)	405 2)
2016	34,63 1)	403 2)
2015	34,56 1)	400 2)
2014	34,66 1)	397 2)
2013	34,54 1)	395 2)
2012	33,87 1)	393 2)
2011	33,46 1)	391 2)
2010	32,43 1)	389 2)
2009	30,54 1)	387 2)
2008	30,94 1)	385 2)
2007	30,72 1)	383 2)
2006	29,57 1)	381 2)
2005	28,57 1)	379 2)
2004	27,54 1)	377 2)
2003	26,31 1)	375 2)
2002	25,18 1)	373 2)
2001	24,70 1)	371 2)
2000	24,34 1)	369 2)
1999	23,59 1)	368 2)
1998	23,42 1)	366 2)
1997	23,25 1)	363 2)
1996	22,83 1)	362 2)
1995	22,36 1)	360 2)
1994	21,74 1)	358 2)
1993	21,61 1)	357 2)
1992	21,48 1)	356 2)
1991	21,51 1)	355 2)
1990	21,39 1)	354 2)
1989	20,76 1)	353 2)
1988	20,34 1)	351 2)
1987	19,64 1)	349 2)
1986	18,97 1)	347 2)
1985	18,60 1)	346 2)
1984	18,03 1)	344 2)
1983	17,45 1)	343 2)
1982	17,33 1)	341 2)
1981	17,51 1)	340 2)
1980	17,75 1)	339 2)
1979	17,92 1)	337 2)
1978	17,39 1)	333 3)
1977	16,88 1)	332 3)
1976	16,32 1)	331 3)
1975	15,50 1)	330 3)
1974	15,42 1)	328 3)
1973	15,45 1)	327 3)
1972	14,61 1)	326 3)
1971	13,93 1)	325 3)
1970	13,65 1)	324 3)
1965	10,50 1)	319 3)
1960	8,70 1)	316 3)
1955	6,95 1)	313 3)
1950	5,57 1)	311 3)
1940	4,72 1)	310 3)
1930	3,85 1)	307 3)
1920	3,47 1)	303 3)
1910	3,00 1)	299 3)
1900	1,94 1)	296 3)
1860	0,36 4)	286 3)