The list of the largest greenhouse gas emitters contains several tables with information on greenhouse gas emissions by country, sector and gas, as well as global annual emissions. The greenhouse gases carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), methane (CH 4 ), nitrous oxide (N 2 O) and fluorinated greenhouse gases ( F-gases ) are considered. The data is based on the PRIMAP-hist series of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), in which data from various sources were merged to generate a comprehensive and coherent data set of emissions from 1850 to 2017. Emissions of methane, nitrous oxide and F-gases have been on their respective global warming potential in CO 2 equivalents (CO 2 -eq) converted. Generally not included are emissions from land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF).
In 2017, 47.6 billion tons (Gt) of CO 2 equivalents were emitted worldwide . The four countries China , USA , India and Russia accounted for more than half of these emissions . Around three quarters (74.2%) of all greenhouse gases worldwide come from energetic use, followed by agriculture (12.8%) and industrial processes (9.3%). The vast majority of emissions consist of carbon dioxide (74.6%) and methane (17.0%).
By country
The following table lists the 40 countries with the largest greenhouse gas emissions in 2017. All figures are to three significant digits or full Mt rounded.
Since 1850, mankind has emitted greenhouse gases with a CO 2 equivalent of around 2431 Gt .
By sectors
The following table shows the distribution of emissions across sectors according to the IPCC 2006 categories. It should be noted that energetic uses are fully subsumed under energy , i. H. also emissions from z. B. from heat generation in industry or from fuel consumption in agriculture. The other sectors therefore only contain emissions that do not result from direct energy consumption, such as in cement and glass production (industry) or in the application of fertilizers and animal husbandry (agriculture).
Emissions in millions of tons of CO 2 -eq
Rank (2017)
sector
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
2000
2010
2015
2016
2017
Share 2017 [%]
1.
energy
6950
10600
16700
21500
23500
25400
32800
34800
34900
35300
74.2
2.
Agriculture
2720
3220
3930
4550
4900
5100
5710
5960
6030
6080
12.8
3.
Industrial processes
762
1550
2050
2370
2370
2620
3710
4240
4340
4430
9.3
4th
waste
512
692
838
1020
1180
1370
1530
1600
1620
1640
3.4
5.
Others
78
85
92
112
125
132
151
164
166
168
0.4
total
11000
16100
23700
29600
32100
34600
43900
46800
47100
47600
100.0
For greenhouse gases
The following table contains the worldwide emissions related to the respective greenhouse gas, converted into CO 2 -eq. The fluorinated gases (F-gases) consist of HFC , PFC , SF 6 and NF 3 .
Emissions in millions of tons of CO 2 -eq
Rank (2017)
Greenhouse gas
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
2000
2010
2015
2016
2017
Share 2017 [%]
1.
Carbon dioxide CO 2
6560
10400
15900
20300
22800
25,000
32900
35000
35100
35500
74.6
2.
Methane CH 4
3325
4325
5750
6725
6650
6725
7500
7850
7950
8075
17.0
3.
Laughing gas N 2 O
1091
1326
1871
2265
2345
2432
2834
3040
3069
3099
6.5
4th
F-gases
7th
16
43
91
145
327
620
804
834
872
1.8
total
11000
16100
23700
29600
32100
34600
43900
46800
47100
47600
100.0
Worldwide emissions
The next table shows the annual global emissions of greenhouse gases since 1950. It should be noted that old emissions that have already been introduced into the atmosphere sometimes remain there for very long periods of time, which - even with falling emissions - leads to a steady increase in concentrations in the atmosphere .
↑ a b c Gütschow, J., u. a .: Data description. (PDF) PIK, December 2018, accessed on May 24, 2020 .
↑ Anke Herold et al .: Methodological Choice and Identification of Key Categories . In: 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories . Volume 1 General Guidance and Reporting, No.4.2 , General rules for identification of key categories, p.4.7 (English, iges.or.jp [PDF]).