Global carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels and industry totaled 37.01 billion metric tons (GtCO₂) in 2023. Emissions are projected to have risen 1.08 percent in 2024 to reach a record high of 37.41 GtCO₂. Since 1990, global CO₂ emissions have increased by more than 60 percent. Who are the biggest emitters? The biggest contributor to global GHG emissions is China, followed by the United States. China wasn't always the world's biggest emitter, but rapid economic growth and industrialization in recent decades have seen emissions there soar. Since 1990, CO₂ emissions in China have increased by almost 450 percent. By comparison, U.S. CO₂ emissions have fallen by 6.1 percent. Nevertheless, the North American country remains the biggest carbon polluter in history. Global events cause emissions to drop The outbreak of COVID-19 caused global CO₂ emissions to plummet some 5.5 percent in 2020 as a result of lockdowns and other restrictions. However, this wasn't the only time in recent history when a major global event caused emissions reductions. For example, the global recession resulted in CO₂ levels to fall by almost two percent in 2009, while the recession in the early 1980s also had a notable impact on emissions. On a percentage basis, the largest annual reduction was at the end of the Second World War in 1945, when emissions decreased by 17 percent.

Emissions by Country

Quantifying Sources and Emission Levels

By [source]

About this dataset

This dataset provides an in-depth look into the global CO2 emissions at the country-level, allowing for a better understanding of how much each country contributes to the global cumulative human impact on climate. It contains information on total emissions as well as from coal, oil, gas, cement production and flaring, and other sources. The data also provides a breakdown of per capita CO2 emission per country - showing which countries are leading in pollution levels and identifying potential areas where reduction efforts should be concentrated. This dataset is essential for anyone who wants to get informed about their own environmental footprint or conduct research on international development trends

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How to use the dataset

This dataset provides a country-level survey of global fossil CO2 emissions, including total emissions, emissions from coal, oil, gas, cement, flaring and other sources as well as per capita emissions.

For researchers looking to quantify global CO2 emission levels by country over time and understand the sources of these emissions this dataset can be a valuable resource.

The data is organized using the following columns: Country (the name of the country), ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 (the three letter code for the country), Year (the year of survey data), Total (the total amount of CO2 emitted by the country in that year), Coal (amount of CO2 emitted by coal in that year), Oil (amount emitted by oil) , Gas (amount emitted by gas) , Cement( amount emitted by cement) , Flaring(flaring emission levels ) and Other( other forms such as industrial processes ). In addition there is also one extra column Per Capita which provides an insight into how much personal carbon dioxide emission is present in each Country per individual .

To make use of these columns you can aggregate sum up Total column for a specific region or help define how much each source contributes to Total column such as how many percent it accounts for out of 100 or construct dashboard visualizations to explore what sources are responsible for higher level emission across different countries similar clusters or examine whether individual countries Focusing on Flaring — emissions associated with burning off natural gas while drilling—can improve overall Fossil Fuel Carbon Emission profiles better understanding of certain types nuclear power plants etc.

The main purpose behind this dataset was to facilitate government bodies private organizations universities NGO's research agencies alike applying analytical techniques tracking environment changes linked with influence cross regions providing resources needed analyze process monitor developing directed ways managing efficient ways get detailed comprehensive verified information

With insights gleaned from this dataset one can begin identify strategies efforts pollutant mitigation climate change combat etc while making decisions centered around sustainable developments with continent wide unified plans policy implementations keep an eye out evidences regional discrepancies being displayed improving quality life might certainly seem likely assure task easy quickly done “Global Fossil Carbon Dioxide Emissions:Country Level Survey 2002 2022 could exactly what us

Research Ideas

• Using the per capita emissions data, develop a reporting system to track countries' progress in meeting carbon emission targets and give policy recommendations for how countries can reach those targets more quickly.
• Analyze the correlation between different fossil fuel sources and CO2 emissions to understand how best to reduce CO2 emissions at a country-level.
• Create an interactive map showing global CO2 levels over time that allows users to visualize trends by country or region across all fossil fuel sources

Acknowledgements

If you use this dataset in your research, please credit the original authors. Data Source

License

License: CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) - Public Domain Dedication No Copyright - You can copy, modify, distribute and perform the work, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. See Other Information.

Columns

File: GCB2022v27_MtCO2_flat.csv | Column name | Description ...

Average annual atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide (CO₂) reached a record high of 424.61 parts per million (ppm) in 2024. Monthly atmospheric CO₂ concentrations peaked that year in June, at 426.91 ppm. Human activities have caused CO₂ concentrations to soar Annual CO₂ concentrations consistently averaged around 280 ppm before the industrial revolution began, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). However, the mass burning of fossil fuels, and deforestation over the past two centuries has released trillions of tons of CO₂ into the atmosphere. This has caused atmospheric CO₂ levels to climb more than 50 percent above pre-industrial levels. Impacts of high atmospheric greenhouse gas levels The rapidly rising concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHGs) are worrying news for the planet, as they contribute to the climate crisis. GHGs like CO₂, methane, and nitrous oxide trap heat radiating from the planet’s surface, preventing it from escaping into space. This causes Earth’s atmosphere to heat and increases land and sea surface temperatures. Higher surface temperatures can unleash severe weather conditions such as extreme heat, droughts, and a higher frequency of high-intensity tropical storms.

This CO2 and Greenhouse Gas Emissions dataset is a collection of key metrics maintained by Our World in Data. It is updated regularly and includes data on CO2 emissions (annual, per capita, cumulative and consumption-based), other greenhouse gases, energy mix, and other relevant metrics.

For further details, please refer to https://github.com/owid/co2-data

Monthly mean atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) concentrations reached a record high of 430.5 parts per million (ppm) in May 2025. This represents an increase of roughly 22 percent compared with average CO₂ levels recorded in January 1990. In 2024, global average annual CO₂ concentrations reached a record high of 424.61 ppm. CO₂ concentrations typically fall during the summer months. This is a result of plants taking in more CO₂ through photosynthesis than they release through respiration during the warmer months when they are growing the most.

Introduction:

Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is the most abundant greenhouse gas emitted by human activities. The burning of fossil fuels, such as coal, oil, and natural gas, is the primary source of CO₂ emissions. Other human activities, such as deforestation and industrial processes, also contribute to CO₂ emissions.

CO₂ emissions are a major driver of climate change. Climate change is the long-term alteration of temperature and typical weather patterns in a place. Climate change could refer to a particular location or the planet as a whole. Climate change may cause weather patterns to be less predictable. A region might experience lower or higher-than-average temperatures. Climate change may cause more frequent and severe weather events, such as storms, floods, and droughts.

Hurricane Beryl: Caribbean leader calls out rich countries for climate failures as ‘horrendous’ storm makes landfall. link

The effects of climate change are already being felt around the world, and they are expected to become more severe in the future. These effects include rising sea levels, more extreme weather events, changes in precipitation patterns, and loss of biodiversity.

Carl Sagan testified before Congress in 1985 on climate change.link

Unveiling the Composition of Air - A Glimpse into Earth's Breath: - Introduction: - Air, an essential and seemingly ubiquitous part of our daily lives, has a composition that remained a mystery for centuries. Only through groundbreaking discoveries and experiments did scientists unravel the complex tapestry of gases that make up Earth's atmosphere. - The Elemental Journey: - Ancient Greeks, over 2,500 years ago, identified air, along with earth, fire, and water, as fundamental elements of creation. However, it took until the late 18th century for this perspective to be challenged by the daring English chemist Joseph Priestley. His experiments shattered the belief that air was an elementary substance, revealing it as a composite mixture of gases. - Priestley's Revelation: - In 1774, Priestley's experiments led to the identification of "dephlogisticated air," later named oxygen by Antoine Lavoisier. This groundbreaking discovery marked the end of a 23-century-old notion that air was indestructible and unalterable, opening the door to a more sophisticated understanding of the gases enveloping our planet. - The Mid-18th Century and Elemental Evolution: - During the mid-18th century, the concept of elements was evolving, with researchers grappling to understand the nature of air and its role in chemical processes. The era saw a surge of interest in gases, driven by the transformative impact of the steam engine on civilisation. - British Chemists and Gas Exploration: - British chemists, including Joseph Black and Henry Cavendish, played a pivotal role in exploring gases. Black identified "fixed air" (now carbon dioxide) in 1754, and Cavendish produced hydrogen in 1766. - Daniel Rutherford's 1772 experiments led to the discovery of nitrogen, as he burned material in a bell jar, leaving behind a gas termed "noxious air." - Conclusion: - The composition of air, once thought to be a simple and unalterable substance, has been unveiled through the efforts of pioneering scientists. Priestley's revelation of oxygen, along with contributions from fellow chemists, has reshaped our understanding of the gases that constitute Earth's atmosphere. In this delicate balance of elements, air reveals itself as a dynamic and essential force, sustaining life on our planet.

The composition of air.

The air we breathe is primarily composed of a mixture of gases. The approximate composition of dry air, excluding water vapour, is as follows:

1. Nitrogen (N₂) - Approximately 78%
2. Oxygen (O₂) - Approximately 21%
3. Argon (Ar) - Approximately 0.93%
4. Carbon Dioxide (CO₂) - Approximately 0.04%
5. Neon (Ne) - Approximately 0.0018%
6. Helium (He) - Approximately 0.0005%
7. Methane (CH₄) - Approximately 0.0002%
8. Krypton (Kr) - Approximately 0.0001%
9. Hydrogen (H₂) - Approximately 0.00005%
10. Xenon (Xe) - Approximately 0.000009%

Additionally, trace amounts of other gases, such as ozone (O₃), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and sulphur dioxide (SO₂), are present in the atmosphere.

It's important to note that these percentages can vary slightly based on factors such as location, altitude, and environmental conditions. Water vapour is also a variable component of the atmosphere, with its concentration ranging from near zero to about 4% in humid conditions.

Greenhouse Effect:

The study of the greenhouse effect and global warming has a fascinating history, and it's amazing to see how early scientists like Arrhenius and Callendar laid the ground...

Trends of Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide measurements from the Mauna Loa Baseline Observatory, Hawaii, United States.

United States US: CO2 Emissions data was reported at 5,254,279.285 kt in 2014. This records an increase from the previous number of 5,159,160.972 kt for 2013. United States US: CO2 Emissions data is updated yearly, averaging 4,823,403.118 kt from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2014, with 55 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 5,789,727.291 kt in 2005 and a record low of 2,880,505.507 kt in 1961. United States US: CO2 Emissions data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.World Bank.WDI: Environment: Pollution. Carbon dioxide emissions are those stemming from the burning of fossil fuels and the manufacture of cement. They include carbon dioxide produced during consumption of solid, liquid, and gas fuels and gas flaring.; ; Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center, Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Tennessee, United States.; Gap-filled total;

Qatar has the highest per capita carbon dioxide emissions worldwide, at **** metric tons per person. Many countries in the Middle East had high levels emissions, especially when compared to countries in Africa. Greenhouse gas emissions worldwide Some of the Middle East’s largest oil producing countries, including Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia are among the world’s largest carbon dioxide (CO₂) emitters per capita. Countries such as the United States, Australia and Canada also show disproportionately high levels of emission per inhabitant. Despite a relatively low population for its size, Canada’s CO₂ emissions have recently surpassed *** million metric tons, and the country is now amongst the largest producers of CO₂ emissions worldwide. Rising emissions Global greenhouse gas emissions have been on the rise since the industrial revolution began approximately 200 years ago. Over the past half-century CO₂ emissions have skyrocketed, and climbed to a record high in recent years. Yet, emissions fell considerably in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused disruptions to transportation and industrial activities.

This map shows the information about the average temperature and the amount of carbon dioxide emission across the world. According to EPA, CO2 is also known as the greenhouse gas, which will result in global warming as the amount of CO2 increases in the atmosphere. In this case, there is a tight connection between the carbon dioxide emission and the average global temperature.The amount of CO2 for each country is shown as well as the average temperature. This can help to explore further information regarding to the causes of the carbon dioxide emissions.To find out what is the relation between the greenhouse emission and the global average temperature, each of them is searched and listed on the map layer. From the layer, information can clearly be visualized that the area with more CO2 emission tend to have a higher temperature.

The average for 2023 based on 189 countries was 4.76 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent per capita. The highest value was in Palau: 81.21 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent per capita and the lowest value was in Micronesia: 0 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent per capita. The indicator is available from 1970 to 2023. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

CO2 Emissions in World increased to 38522000 KT in 2022 from 38082160 KT in 2021. This dataset includes a chart with historical data for World CO2 Emissions.

In 2023, China was the biggest carbon polluter in the world by far, having released 11.9 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide (GtCO₂). Although the U.S. was the second-biggest emitter, with 4.9 GtCO₂ in 2023, its CO₂ emissions have declined by 13 percent since 2010. By comparison, China’s CO₂ emissions have increased by more than 38 percent in the same period. Cumulative emissions Although China is currently the world's largest carbon polluter, the U.S. has released far more historical carbon dioxide emissions, at more than 400 GtCO₂ since 1750. The wide gap between the two countries is because China's emissions have mostly been produced in the past two decades. Combined, the U.S. and China account for roughly 40 percent of cumulative CO₂ emissions since the Industrial Revolution began. Sources of emissions One of the largest sources of global CO₂ emissions is the power sector, with electricity produced by coal-fired power plants a significant contributor. In China, emissions from coal-fired electricity generation have soared since the turn of the century, and reached 5.2 GtCO₂ in 2023.

Context

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Content

The GHG dataset is a collection of key metrics of CO2 and Greenhouse Gas Emissions maintained by Our World in Data. It is updated regularly and includes data on CO2 emissions (annual, per capita, cumulative and consumption-based), other greenhouse gases, energy mix, and other relevant metrics.

Acknowledgements

This data has been collected, aggregated, and documented by Hannah Ritchie, Max Roser and Edouard Mathieu. The mission of Our World in Data is to make data and research on the world’s largest problems understandable and accessible.

Inspiration

The Global Carbon Project (GCP) has been publishing estimates of global and national fossil CO2 emissions since 2001. In the first instance these were simple re-publications of data from another source, but over subsequent years refinements have been made in response to feedback and identification of inaccuracies. In this article (PDF document) we describe the history of this process leading up to the methodology used in the 2024 release of the GCP's fossil CO2 dataset.

The fossil CO2 emissions dataset is included in both its standard, absolute form, and per capita, with associated metadata files in JSON format. A file indicating the source(s) of each data point is also provided.

This is a very minor update that is consistent with the GCB2024 release.

This project is to show the amount of CO2 throughout the world. I give a visualization in regards to the amounts along with a key. I started with spreadsheet that needed some data cleaning, and then I cleaned the data and created a pivot table. Finally, I created a Tableau visualization to show the amount of CO2.

This dataset provides observations of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) amounts obtained from observations collected by several current and historical satellite instruments. Carbon dioxide is a naturally occurring Greenhouse Gas (GHG), but one whose abundance has been increased substantially above its pre-industrial value of some 280 ppm by human activities, primarily because of emissions from combustion of fossil fuels, deforestation and other land-use change. The annual cycle (especially in the northern hemisphere) is primarily due to seasonal uptake and release of atmospheric CO2 by terrestrial vegetation. Atmospheric carbon dioxide abundance is indirectly observed by various satellite instruments. These instruments measure spectrally resolved near-infrared and/or infrared radiation reflected or emitted by the Earth and its atmosphere. In the measured signal, molecular absorption signatures from carbon dioxide and other constituent gasses can be identified. It is through analysis of those absorption lines in these radiance observations that the averaged carbon dioxide abundance in the sampled atmospheric column can be determined. The software used to analyse the absorption lines and determine the carbon dioxide concentration in the sampled atmospheric column is referred to as the retrieval algorithm. For this dataset, carbon dioxide abundances have been determined by applying several algorithms to different satellite instruments. Typically, different algorithms have different strengths and weaknesses and therefore, which product to use for a given application typically depends on the application. The data set consists of 2 types of products:

column-averaged mixing ratios of CO2, denoted XCO2 mid-tropospheric CO2 columns.

The XCO2 products have been retrieved from SCIAMACHY/ENVISAT, TANSO-FTS/GOSAT, TANSO-FTS2/GOSAT2 and OCO-2. The mid-tropospheric CO2 product has been retrieved from the IASI instruments on-board the Metop satellite series and from AIRS. The XCO2 products are available as Level 2 (L2) products (satellite orbit tracks) and as Level 3 (L3) product (gridded). The L2 products are available as individual sensor products (SCIAMACHY: BESD and WFMD algorithms; GOSAT: OCFP and SRFP algorithms) and as a multi-sensor merged product (EMMA algorithm). The L3 XCO2 product is provided in OBS4MIPS format. The IASI and AIRS products are available as L2 products generated with the NLIS algorithm. This data set is updated on a yearly basis, with each update cycle adding (if required) a new data version for the entire period, up to one year behind real time. This dataset is produced on behalf of C3S with the exception of the SCIAMACHY and AIRS L2 products that were generated in the framework of the GHG-CCI project of the European Space Agency (ESA) Climate Change Initiative (CCI).

A complete description of the dataset is given by Jones et al. (2023). Key information is provided below.

Background

A dataset describing the global warming response to national emissions CO₂, CH₄ and N₂O from fossil and land use sources during 1851-2021.

National CO₂ emissions data are collated from the Global Carbon Project (Andrew and Peters, 2024; Friedlingstein et al., 2024).

National CH₄ and N₂O emissions data are collated from PRIMAP-hist (HISTTP) (Gütschow et al., 2024).

We construct a time series of cumulative CO2-equivalent emissions for each country, gas, and emissions source (fossil or land use). Emissions of CH₄ and N₂O emissions are related to cumulative CO2-equivalent emissions using the Global Warming Potential (GWP*) approach, with best-estimates of the coefficients taken from the IPCC AR6 (Forster et al., 2021).

Warming in response to cumulative CO2-equivalent emissions is estimated using the transient climate response to cumulative carbon emissions (TCRE) approach, with best-estimate value of TCRE taken from the IPCC AR6 (Forster et al., 2021, Canadell et al., 2021). 'Warming' is specifically the change in global mean surface temperature (GMST).

The data files provide emissions, cumulative emissions and the GMST response by country, gas (CO₂, CH₄, N₂O or 3-GHG total) and source (fossil emissions, land use emissions or the total).

Data records: overview

The data records include three comma separated values (.csv) files as described below.

All files are in ‘long’ format with one value provided in the Data column for each combination of the categorical variables Year, Country Name, Country ISO3 code, Gas, and Component columns.

Component specifies fossil emissions, LULUCF emissions or total emissions of the gas.

Gas specifies CO₂, CH₄, N₂O or the three-gas total (labelled 3-GHG).

Country ISO3 codes are specifically the unique ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 codes of each country.

Data records: specifics

Data are provided relative to 2 reference years (denoted ref_year below): 1850 and 1991. 1850 is a mutual first year of data spanning all input datasets. 1991 is relevant because the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change was operationalised in 1992.

EMISSIONS_ANNUAL_{ref_year-20}-2023.csv: Data includes annual emissions of CO₂ (Pg CO₂ year^-1), CH₄ (Tg CH₄ year^-1) and N₂O (Tg N₂O year^-1) during the period ref_year-20 to 2023. The Data column provides values for every combination of the categorical variables. Data are provided from ref_year-20 because these data are required to calculate GWP* for CH₄.

EMISSIONS_CUMULATIVE_CO2e100_{ref_year+1}-2023.csv: Data includes the cumulative CO₂ equivalent emissions in units Pg CO₂-e₁₀₀ during the period ref_year+1 to 2023 (i.e. since the reference year). The Data column provides values for every combination of the categorical variables.

GMST_response_{ref_year+1}-2023.csv: Data includes the change in global mean surface temperature (GMST) due to emissions of the three gases in units °C during the period ref_year+1 to 2023 (i.e. since the reference year). The Data column provides values for every combination of the categorical variables.

Accompanying Code

Code is available at: https://github.com/jonesmattw/National_Warming_Contributions .

The code requires Input.zip to run (see README at the GitHub link).

Further info: Country Groupings

We also provide estimates of the contributions of various country groupings as defined by the UNFCCC:

• Annex I countries (number of countries, n = 42)
• Annex II countries (n = 23)
• economies in transition (EITs; n = 15)
• the least developed countries (LDCs; n = 47)
• the like-minded developing countries (LMDC; n = 24).

And other country groupings:

• the organisation for economic co-operation and development (OECD; n = 38)
• the European Union (EU27 post-Brexit)
• the Brazil, South Africa, India and China (BASIC) group.

See COUNTRY_GROUPINGS.xlsx for the lists of countries in each group.

Brazil BR: CO2 Emissions: Metric Tons per Capita data was reported at 1.943 Metric Ton in 2020. This records a decrease from the previous number of 2.051 Metric Ton for 2019. Brazil BR: CO2 Emissions: Metric Tons per Capita data is updated yearly, averaging 1.784 Metric Ton from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2020, with 31 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2.515 Metric Ton in 2014 and a record low of 1.313 Metric Ton in 1990. Brazil BR: CO2 Emissions: Metric Tons per Capita data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Brazil – Table BR.World Bank.WDI: Environmental: Gas Emissions and Air Pollution. Carbon dioxide emissions are those stemming from the burning of fossil fuels and the manufacture of cement. They include carbon dioxide produced during consumption of solid, liquid, and gas fuels and gas flaring.;Emissions data are sourced from Climate Watch Historical GHG Emissions (1990-2020). 2023. Washington, DC: World Resources Institute. Available online at: https://www.climatewatchdata.org/ghg-emissions;Weighted average;

World coal capacity and CO2 emission by plant from EndCoal tracker with latitude and longitude of the plant. Follow datasource.kapsarc.org for timely data to advance energy economics research.