Since the industrial revolution, the volume of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted into the air by human activity has grown exponentially, especially since the second half of the 20th century.
Fossil fuel consumption
Fossil fuel consumption has become synonymous with industrial development across the globe, however it has had an adverse effect on the earth's climate, causing ocean and surface temperatures to rise at an unsustainable rate, in addition to related problems such as ocean acidification, more frequent of natural disasters, and the destruction of the natural world in the pursuit of these resources. Initially, coal was the most commonly-used fossil fuel and was also the largest polluter, before it was overtaken by oil in the 1960s. Coal emissions then spiked once again in the early 2000s, primarily due to a rise in consumption in China, although oil remains the most-consumed fossil fuel in the world today, it is relatively "cleaner" than coal.
The switch to cleaner energy
Since awareness of climate change has risen in recent decades, the need for alternative energy sources has come to the fore - while the use of natural gas has risen due to its greater efficiency and lower emissions, nuclear and renewable sources of energy are viewed as a long-term solution to the climate emergency. Despite the recent surge in renewable energy output, the volume of CO2 emitted into the atmosphere continues to rise in most years, due to the growing global population, increased international trade, and lifestyle demands in both more-developed and developing countries alike.
Annual global carbon dioxide emissions by fuel or industry from 1800 to 2022
(in millions of tons)
Characteristic
Oil
Coal
Cement
Natural gas
Flaring
Other
2022
11,877.89
15,219.3
1,605.47
7,748.47
397.45
301.2
2021
11,514.74
14,982.52
1,692.4
7,922.11
403.43
301.34
2020
10,899.95
14,225.92
1,633.05
7,555.26
398.52
295.05
2019
12,377.95
14,684.31
1,615.78
7,621.43
435.43
305.21
2018
12,267.44
14,725.25
1,565.8
7,498.02
407.29
303.15
2017
12,219.62
14,489.68
1,504.53
7,121.33
387.48
302.81
2016
12,006.96
14,325.49
1,482.88
6,969.96
374.24
300.5
2015
11,885.38
14,662.11
1,444.45
6,783.36
384.28
303.65
2014
11,621.55
15,006.09
1,499.51
6,646.64
387.03
305.39
2013
11,584.06
14,989.08
1,442.9
6,536.35
385.53
294.54
2012
11,498.22
14,896.54
1,384.17
6,502.51
377.31
276.71
2011
11,348.47
14,731.27
1,349.18
6,372.96
359.51
275.08
2010
11,329.97
13,940.77
1,254.87
6,193.11
341.44
246.16
2009
10,961.71
13,033.12
1,175.42
5,748.56
330.43
244.03
2008
11,205.64
13,203.81
1,143.37
5,894.37
334.76
259.96
2007
11,248.81
12,788.58
1,129.16
5,730.25
343.3
259.63
2006
11,211.11
12,199.22
1,051.33
5,543.59
347.55
252.96
2005
11,109.2
11,553.74
963.94
5,374.96
347.98
242.27
2004
11,010.54
10,876.57
898.58
5,260.28
342.65
231.58
2003
10,617.43
10,522.82
860.01
5,082.75
344.61
221.04
2002
10,336.71
9,684.06
781.89
4,904.6
324.73
216.3
2001
10,356.23
9,259.31
753.95
4,756.26
335.84
213.34
2000
10,278.07
9,207.2
721.43
4,731.03
347.24
216.32
1999
10,135.52
8,862.76
690.51
4,595.32
330.13
219.26
1998
9,893.82
8,735.93
658.35
4,485.61
336.68
220.56
1997
9,767.22
8,977.74
660.85
4,413.48
352.94
223.73
1996
9,621.54
9,024.37
635.11
4,396.57
350.56
222.01
1995
9,338.96
8,803.17
622.29
4,210.04
326.48
223.55
1994
9,254.1
8,559.12
588.43
4,101.93
314.82
216.38
1993
9,218.41
8,511.26
551.28
4,067.15
234.1
216.14
1992
9,211.26
8,409.5
528.56
3,959.73
241.98
216.17
1991
9,708.48
8,614.59
507.48
3,909.33
274.01
215.59
1990
9,245.1
8,701.8
493.63
3,830.34
258.8
223.02
1989
9,116.43
8,891.69
493.1
3,640.36
150.68
86.71
1988
8,960.31
8,892.93
483.22
3,466.25
185.51
89.16
1987
8,643.08
8,598.47
458.9
3,307.92
163.01
74.41
1986
8,571.33
8,320.63
440.08
3,046.15
169.67
59.65
1985
8,322.07
8,201.94
422.45
3,121.95
181.45
55.27
1984
8,323.76
7,650.65
417.36
3,010.97
186.75
52.24
1983
8,256.59
7,297.6
409.61
2,760.98
212.85
48.27
1982
8,341.17
7,111.2
400.75
2,731.66
235.58
45.01
1981
8,546.78
6,988.98
402.62
2,794.72
237.17
46.67
1980
8,948.32
7,008.48
402.52
2,758.48
316.45
48.2
1979
9,272.93
6,828.33
399.76
2,689.38
360.15
52.46
1978
9,155.99
6,521.47
394.56
2,550.68
390.17
51.08
1977
8,838.89
6,412.42
370.76
2,441.43
381.47
49.69
1976
8,538.58
6,260.04
354.05
2,387.15
395.41
50.02
1975
8,036.56
6,034.68
339.04
2,255.82
336.71
47.17
1974
8,105.39
5,860.02
341
2,259.21
391.37
52.39
1973
8,223.55
5,861.54
340.52
2,204.1
402.16
51.63
1972
7,764.82
5,689.86
321.56
2,052.25
346.89
48.07
1971
7,201.51
5,698.28
303.39
1,933.5
321.45
44.66
1970
6,800.14
5,696.57
288.49
1,790.86
277.74
44.35
1969
5,979.45
5,516.12
270.84
1,708.68
244.03
41.71
1968
5,529.31
5,317.47
255.43
1,559.74
203.8
38.59
1967
5,076.13
5,259.16
239.92
1,433.13
190.78
37.2
1966
4,761.2
5,346.64
233.05
1,340.04
144.57
36.22
1965
4,411.81
5,285.71
216.46
1,230.73
130.44
34.53
1964
4,107.03
5,209.61
206.16
1,153.05
112.79
34.98
1963
3,806.51
5,104.29
185.98
1,047.01
90.51
31.75
1962
3,561.59
4,924.53
176.37
967.87
85.93
30.28
1961
3,313.26
4,939.33
164.15
882.21
86.22
29.22
1960
3,125.71
5,151.95
157.39
834.73
89.14
27.51
1959
2,903.99
4,947.03
145.24
758.42
91.69
8.29
1958
2,726.86
4,753.32
129.69
706
95.11
6.16
1957
2,622.48
4,680.66
122.45
646.82
106.39
6.82
1956
2,510.94
4,595.99
116.49
587.35
108.17
7.04
1955
2,313.65
4,371.64
107.44
547.33
96.84
6.97
1954
2,069.12
4,038.46
97.13
501.44
77.61
5.72
1953
1,956.17
4,042.73
89.55
474.61
81.35
6.45
1952
1,840.7
4,008.1
80.75
447.17
85.36
5.35
1951
1,744.89
4,059.09
75.77
416.28
79.88
5.5
1950
1,575.25
3,855.34
66.9
353.24
73.62
4.99
1949
1,272.31
3,545.8
58.19
300.52
-
4.18
1948
1,349.2
3,739.09
51.64
280.19
-
4.84
1947
1,228.95
3,621.18
43.14
247.96
-
4.55
1946
1,147.91
3,234.05
36.31
223.89
-
3.96
1945
1,015.4
2,998.04
22.99
216.75
-
3.96
1944
1,025.28
3,868.04
22.66
197.6
-
4.33
1943
894.44
3,925.26
34.77
182.9
-
4.33
1942
841.43
3,909.7
38.38
166.05
-
4.03
1941
885.99
3,884.03
43.29
153.46
-
4.03
1940
879.36
3,793.77
31.43
153.55
-
3.23
1939
836.45
3,434.93
35.66
141.35
-
2.86
1938
803.01
3,227.66
38.52
135.51
-
2.2
1937
826.77
3,463.36
40.8
140.59
-
2.71
1936
733.95
3,284.79
38.74
125.55
-
2.49
1935
672.81
2,996.57
32.06
111.38
-
1.98
1934
624.16
2,877.99
28.51
101.96
-
1.61
1933
589.77
2,635.44
23.84
90.92
-
1.54
1932
539.44
2,519.8
24.69
88.22
-
1.32
1931
563.84
2,830.44
30.89
92.89
-
1.83
1930
582.55
3,213.99
35.56
104.23
-
2.27
1929
606.12
3,522.15
36.87
102.9
-
2.86
1928
552.38
3,305.24
35.58
82.63
-
2.93
1927
540.27
3,361.45
15.45
76.02
-
2.93
1926
492.45
3,081.69
14.74
69.15
-
3.01
1925
494.22
3,151.39
14.43
63.92
-
3.08
1924
471.97
3,152.61
0.22
59.71
-
2.71
1923
474.39
3,146.4
0.21
52.53
-
2.71
1922
426.95
2,770.65
0.19
40.11
-
2.42
1921
384.91
2,668.38
0.13
34.99
-
1.69
1920
351.33
3,125.91
0.15
41.69
-
2.35
1919
273.43
2,715.31
0.12
37.95
-
2.2
1918
245.06
3,209.44
0.12
36.52
-
2.13
1917
239.47
3,257.81
0.15
40.51
-
2.49
1916
215.3
3,129.28
0.18
38.38
-
2.71
1915
197.66
2,902.74
0.16
31.87
-
2.42
1914
186.14
2,961.66
0.15
30.14
-
2.27
1913
182.14
3,291.91
0.2
29.6
-
2.42
1912
157.31
3,047.82
0.18
28.32
-
2.35
1911
152.93
2,898.43
0.15
25.72
-
2.27
1910
144.19
2,862.5
0.14
24.92
-
2.35
1909
134.46
2,730.05
0.12
23.52
-
2.35
1908
128.88
2,625.93
0.12
19.68
-
1.83
1907
119.51
2,746.87
0
19.88
-
2.05
1906
97.96
2,415.61
0
19.03
-
2.13
1905
97.08
2,311.08
0
17.17
-
1.98
1904
96.13
2,166.62
0
15.17
-
1.83
1903
85.6
2,153.97
0
14.53
-
-
1902
80.84
1,973.15
0
13.7
-
-
1901
74.78
1,929.1
0
12.86
-
-
1900
67.35
1,873.32
0
11.54
-
-
1899
60.07
1,782.74
0
10.9
-
-
1898
57.2
1,631.51
0
8.46
-
-
1897
55.55
1,546.39
0
7.29
-
-
1896
52.59
1,476.93
0
6.85
-
-
1895
48.56
1,431.83
0
7.04
-
-
1894
41.72
1,354.6
0
6.7
-
-
1893
42.56
1,305.62
0
7.29
-
-
1892
40.22
1,324.4
0
7.78
-
-
1891
40.85
1,311.96
0
8.95
-
-
1890
34.67
1,254.01
0
11.69
-
-
1889
28.42
1,153.97
0
12.23
-
-
1888
24.59
1,152.98
0
16.77
-
-
1887
23.5
1,043.46
0
11.79
-
-
1886
21.84
997.9
0
7.68
-
-
1885
18.98
988.95
0
3.72
-
-
1884
18.34
984.62
0
1.17
-
-
1883
16.53
975.84
0
0.38
-
-
1882
18.96
914.23
0
0.16
-
-
1881
17.27
866.28
0
-
-
-
1880
15.39
838.52
0
-
-
-
1879
12.68
743.31
-
-
-
-
1878
10.07
695.91
-
-
-
-
1877
8.84
691.56
-
-
-
-
1876
6.56
680.22
-
-
-
-
1875
5.86
671.26
-
-
-
-
1874
6.27
617.97
-
-
-
-
1873
5.69
660.79
-
-
-
-
1872
3.74
623.57
-
-
-
-
1871
3.32
563.57
-
-
-
-
1870
3.16
530.18
-
-
-
-
1869
2.63
519.32
-
-
-
-
1868
2.3
489.25
-
-
-
-
1867
2.01
476.15
-
-
-
-
1866
1.97
444.58
-
-
-
-
1865
1.32
431.54
-
-
-
-
1864
1.11
406.61
-
-
-
-
1863
1.3
376.88
-
-
-
-
1862
1.4
353.08
-
-
-
-
1861
0.95
346.84
-
-
-
-
1860
0.28
330.68
-
-
-
-
1859
0.05
301.43
-
-
-
-
1858
0.06
284.16
-
-
-
-
1857
0.05
279.88
-
-
-
-
1856
0.04
277.26
-
-
-
-
1855
0.04
260.07
-
-
-
-
1854
-
255.14
-
-
-
-
1853
-
217.21
-
-
-
-
1852
-
207.55
-
-
-
-
1851
-
198.8
-
-
-
-
1850
-
196.9
-
-
-
-
1849
-
183.51
-
-
-
-
1848
-
173.82
-
-
-
-
1847
-
172.4
-
-
-
-
1846
-
157.79
-
-
-
-
1845
-
155.21
-
-
-
-
1844
-
141.42
-
-
-
-
1843
-
132.85
-
-
-
-
1842
-
129.5
-
-
-
-
1841
-
122.62
-
-
-
-
1840
-
118.93
-
-
-
-
1839
-
111.61
-
-
-
-
1838
-
108.04
-
-
-
-
1837
-
104.69
-
-
-
-
1836
-
104.78
-
-
-
-
1835
-
90.45
-
-
-
-
1834
-
88.49
-
-
-
-
1833
-
86.81
-
-
-
-
1832
-
85.11
-
-
-
-
1831
-
84.53
-
-
-
-
1830
-
89.12
-
-
-
-
1829
-
66.4
-
-
-
-
1828
-
66.64
-
-
-
-
1827
-
65.92
-
-
-
-
1826
-
61.42
-
-
-
-
1825
-
60.76
-
-
-
-
1824
-
58.53
-
-
-
-
1823
-
56.55
-
-
-
-
1822
-
53.47
-
-
-
-
1821
-
51.44
-
-
-
-
1820
-
50.69
-
-
-
-
1819
-
49.95
-
-
-
-
1818
-
49.64
-
-
-
-
1817
-
49.43
-
-
-
-
1816
-
47.66
-
-
-
-
1815
-
43.49
-
-
-
-
1814
-
42.13
-
-
-
-
1813
-
41.22
-
-
-
-
1812
-
41.01
-
-
-
-
1811
-
39.58
-
-
-
-
1810
-
37.38
-
-
-
-
1809
-
35.09
-
-
-
-
1808
-
35.06
-
-
-
-
1807
-
36.87
-
-
-
-
1806
-
35.05
-
-
-
-
1805
-
33.42
-
-
-
-
1804
-
34.31
-
-
-
-
1803
-
31.49
-
-
-
-
1802
-
36.78
-
-
-
-
1801
-
27.96
-
-
-
-
1800
-
28.09
-
-
-
-
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OWID. (December 31, 2023). Annual global carbon dioxide emissions by fuel or industry from 1800 to 2022 (in millions of tons) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved December 19, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1360595/worldwide-co2-emissions-by-source-historical/
OWID. "Annual global carbon dioxide emissions by fuel or industry from 1800 to 2022 (in millions of tons)." Chart. December 31, 2023. Statista. Accessed December 19, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1360595/worldwide-co2-emissions-by-source-historical/
OWID. (2023). Annual global carbon dioxide emissions by fuel or industry from 1800 to 2022 (in millions of tons). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: December 19, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1360595/worldwide-co2-emissions-by-source-historical/
OWID. "Annual Global Carbon Dioxide Emissions by Fuel or Industry from 1800 to 2022 (in Millions of Tons)." Statista, Statista Inc., 31 Dec 2023, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1360595/worldwide-co2-emissions-by-source-historical/
OWID, Annual global carbon dioxide emissions by fuel or industry from 1800 to 2022 (in millions of tons) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1360595/worldwide-co2-emissions-by-source-historical/ (last visited December 19, 2024)
Annual global carbon dioxide emissions by fuel or industry from 1800 to 2022 (in millions of tons) [Graph], OWID, December 31, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1360595/worldwide-co2-emissions-by-source-historical/
