Global methane emissions by sector 1990-2023

Agriculture is the single largest contributor to global methane emissions. In 2023, agricultural processes, such enteric fermentation and manure management, emitted 4.6 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (GtCO₂) methane. This accounted for roughly 46 percent of total methane emissions that year. Agriculture emissions have risen by 15 percent worldwide since 1990. Meanwhile, methane emissions from the waste sector have risen by more than 50 percent since 1990, to 1.8 GtCO₂, respectively.

Annual methane (CH4) emissions worldwide from 1990 to 2023, by sector (in million metric tons of CO₂ equivalent)

Characteristic	Agriculture	Fuel Exploitation	Waste	Buildings	Transport	Industrial Combustion	Processes	Power Industry
2023	4,610.57	3,197.2	1,833.7	278.21	30.96	19.57	15	15.86
2022	4,598.61	3,111.83	1,800.68	277.33	30.1	19.23	14.67	15.78
2021	4,571.49	2,974.03	1,770.06	279.33	28.85	18.95	15	15.56
2020	4,536.24	2,866.51	1,731.94	279.23	27.11	18.79	14.4	14.47
2019	4,468.93	3,053.11	1,704.65	280.39	29.52	18.79	14.44	14.27
2018	4,468.03	3,003.18	1,674.56	284.05	28.83	18.84	13.71	13.88
2017	4,461.51	2,898.53	1,633.54	288.44	29.05	18.82	13.19	13.34
2016	4,439.14	2,829.9	1,598.13	287.28	29.46	19	12.73	12.75
2015	4,394.86	2,849.83	1,566.78	290.2	29.84	19.42	12.1	11.91
2014	4,368.92	2,881.44	1,532.07	293.98	30.39	19.59	12.26	11.6
2013	4,352.7	2,855.37	1,505.25	295.21	30.62	19.51	11.13	11.2
2012	4,318.21	2,899.88	1,474.65	294.81	31.08	19.41	10.55	10.91
2011	4,289.71	2,861.7	1,460.94	294.74	31.67	19.23	10.06	10.22
2010	4,262.79	2,708.25	1,431.23	300.43	31.98	18.74	9.24	9.9
2009	4,230.63	2,622.67	1,411.82	299.48	31.68	17.28	8.09	8.82
2008	4,216.66	2,671.27	1,405.2	301.15	31.98	17.69	8.12	8.59
2007	4,144.47	2,629.27	1,398.81	298.84	31.69	17.35	8.05	8.29
2006	4,095.6	2,638.8	1,372.99	301.48	32.38	16.75	7.52	7.86
2005	4,045.38	2,578.52	1,339.87	300.02	33.5	15.98	6.82	7.62
2004	3,988.47	2,507.98	1,326.04	298.02	33.59	14.7	6.52	7.24
2003	3,912.49	2,447.69	1,309.13	295.33	33.48	13.2	6.06	6.8
2002	3,876.22	2,284.21	1,289.2	290.07	33.78	12.31	5.7	6.52
2001	3,848.9	2,362.26	1,282.29	288.19	33.61	12.24	5.41	6.19
2000	3,850.46	2,361.92	1,293.07	291	34.43	12.27	5.3	5.91
1999	3,877.53	2,267.03	1,280.3	293.29	35	12.12	5.02	5.74
1998	3,855	2,293.7	1,272.72	291.59	35.23	11.7	5.08	6.26
1997	3,870.84	2,377.66	1,271.51	297.91	35.5	11.52	4.84	6.13
1996	3,929.94	2,369.62	1,264.15	291.52	35.9	11.36	4.66	5.81
1995	3,929.7	2,277.14	1,256.18	301	35.59	11.49	4.68	5.56
1994	3,919.93	2,218.25	1,244.5	299.21	35.39	11.02	4.39	5.43
1993	3,908.6	2,175.57	1,232.14	305.47	35	10.71	4.11	5.2
1992	3,952.55	2,183.28	1,224.69	302.96	34.84	10.77	3.79	5.18
1991	3,963.54	2,175.47	1,211.09	308.77	34.58	10.76	3.99	4.94
1990	3,994.01	2,247.33	1,194.98	308.99	34.32	10.94	4.14	4.81

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Release date

2024

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Region

Worldwide

Survey time period

1990 to 2023

Supplementary notes

Power Industry - Power and heat generation plants (public & autoproducers)
Industrial combustion - Combustion for industrial manufacturing
Buildings – Small scale non-industrial stationary combustion
Transport – Mobile combustion (road & rail & ship & aviation)
Agriculture Agricultural soils, crop residues burning, enteric fermentation, manure management, indirect N2O emissions from agriculture
Fuel exploitation - Production, transformation and refining of fuels
Processes - Industrial processes (e.g. emissions from the production of cement, iron and steel, aluminum, chemicals, solvents, etc.)
Waste - Solid waste disposal and waste water treatment

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