CO2 Emissions Statistics
An essential tool for analysts and policy makers
In recognition of the fundamental importance of understanding energy related environmental issues, the IEA's CO2 Emissions from Fuel Combustion provides a full analysis of emissions stemming from energy use. This annual publication has become an essential tool for analysts and policy makers in many international fora. The IEA also produces CO2 Emissions Factors.
Data service Download the overview Purchase the 2019 edition Free 2019 data highlights
Access database documentation on CO2 emissions from fuel combustion
Drivers of CO2 emissions
CO2 emissions from fuel combustion are affected by a range of drivers, including population growth, GDP and energy supply. CO2 emissions from electricity generation, around 40% of the total, are driven by electricity output, generation efficiency, share and carbon intensity of fossil generation. Explore how these factors have affected emissions across a range of countries and regions in our interactive below:
Explore for
CO2 emissions from fuel combustion reach new heights
After three years of stability, global CO2 emissions from fuel combustion started rising again in 2017, reaching 32.8 billion tons. Provisional data show they grew even faster in 2018, with robust economic growth and the slowdown in renewables penetration more than offsetting some improvement in energy productivity.
All values up to 2017 for World and 2018 for OECD are based on CO2 Emissions from Fuel Combustion 2019. The 2018 value for World is based on IEA Global Energy & CO2 Status Report 2019.
OECD Non OECD World 2000 12.55041 9.836415 23.23977 2001 12.57564 10.19156 23.58843 2002 12.46341 10.5836 23.9061 2003 12.6874 11.38739 24.94266 2004 12.80958 12.36179 26.1172 2005 12.84368 13.23936 27.0748 2006 12.76991 14.11933 27.93353 2007 12.93062 14.96069 28.98381 2008 12.61044 15.51648 29.22923 2009 11.88268 15.91306 28.8453 2010 12.36605 17.08494 30.57135 2011 12.11966 18.13496 31.39258 2012 11.93657 18.7458 31.77749 2013 11.98781 19.27382 32.36286 2014 11.7495 19.55092 32.43916 2015 11.69049 19.54988 32.43086 2016 11.61374 19.56755 32.41376 2017 11.57853 19.97933 32.83986 2018 11.63071 20.45181 33.39814
{"chart":{"type":"line"},"title":{"text":"CO2 emissions from fuel combustion"},"plotOptions":{"line":{"marker":{"enabled":false}}},"yAxis":{"title":{"text":"GtCO2"},"min":0},"xAxis":{"tickPositions":[2000,2005,2010,2015,2018]},"tooltip":{"valueSuffix":" Gt CO2","valueDecimals":1}}As has been the case for the last several years, growth in 2017 and 2018 was largely due to non-OECD countries, mainly South-East Asia and Middle East. Non-OECD countries as a whole showed growth rates higher than 2% for both years and exceeded 20 billion tons in 2018.
With changes ten times greater than in the OECD, non–OECD emissions are rapidly approaching twice the emissions levels of the OECD.
OECD Non OECD 2014-2015 -59.0074 -1.04171 2015-2016 -76.7506 17.67113 2016-2017 -35.2114 411.7793 2017-2018 52.17789 472.4831
{"chart":{"type":"column"},"yAxis":{"title":{"text":"Mt CO2"}},"title":{"text":"Annual change in CO2 emissions for OECD and non-OECD countries"},"xAxis":{"type":"category"},"tooltip":{"valueSuffix":" Mt CO2","valueDecimals":0},"series":[{"colorIndex":2},{"colorIndex":6}]}
Sectoral disaggregation
Electricity/heat generation and transport account for two thirds of total CO2 emissions and were equally responsible of almost the entire global growth in emissions since 2010; the remaining third is split between industry and buildings.
The picture changes after reallocating emissions from power generation to the final sectors: industry accounts for slightly less than one half of total emissions, buildings and transport for one quarter each. The buildings sector uses one half of the electricity that is consumed globally (21 000 TWh), industry the other half; transport is not yet visibly electrified.
Electricity & heat generation Transport Industry Buildings Other 2017 13.60330193 8.039918588 7.810383225 2.771055513 0.615198767 2017 ele/heat reallocated 0 8.239133019 14.16300574 8.670573491 1.767143049
{"chart":{"type":"column","height":"45%"},"xAxis":{"type":"category"},"plotOptions":{"column":{"stacking":"normal"}},"yAxis":{"reversedStacks":false,"title":{"text":"GtCO2"}},"title":{"text":"Global CO2 emissions by sector, 2017"},"tooltip":{"valueSuffix":" GtCO2","valueDecimals":2}}