Per capita CO₂ emissions in India 1970-2023
Per capita carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions in India have soared in recent decades, climbing from 0.4 metric tons per person in 1970 to a high of 2.07 metric tons per person in 2023. Total CO₂ emissions in India also reached a record high in 2023.
Greenhouse gas emissions in India
India is the third-largest CO₂ emitter globally, behind only China and the United States. Among the various economic sectors of the country, the power sector accounts for the largest share of greenhouse gas emissions in India, followed by agriculture. Together, these two sectors were responsible for more than half of India's total emissions in 2023.
Coal emissions
One of the main reasons for India's high emissions is the country's reliance on coal, the most polluting of fossil fuels. India's CO₂ emissions from coal totaled roughly two billion metric tons in 2023, a near sixfold increase from 1990 levels.
