CO₂ emissions from fossil fuel and industrial purposes in India 1970-2023
India’s fossil carbon dioxide emissions grew almost eight percent in 2023, to a new high of three billion metric tons (GtCO₂). India is one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, and has experienced rapid industrialization in recent decades. As a result, the country’s emissions from fossil fuel use and industrial purposes have almost tripled since the turn of the century to become the third-highest globally.
Contributions to historical emissions
Although India is currently the world’s third-largest emitter, the South Asian country’s historical emissions are far lower than other major GHG polluters. Since the Industrial Revolution began, India’s fossil fuel use has emitted around 63 GtCO₂ into the atmosphere, ranking 7th worldwide. In comparison, the U.S. and China have emitted around 430 and 270 GtCO₂, respectively. India’s contributions to global warming were estimated at only around five percent as of 2023.
Per capita emissions
As well as having lower cumulative emissions, India’s per capita GHG emissions are also the lowest among the world’s top emitters. With just three metric tons of CO₂ equivalent emitted per person (tCO₂e/cap) in 2023, this was less than half the world average of 6.7 tCO₂e/cap. India was the only G20 economy with per capita emissions below the global average.
