China vs United States: Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from Power Industry (Energy)

China
6,578 Mt CO2e
in 2024
United States
1,488 Mt CO2e
in 2024
China rank
1st
United States rank
3rd

Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) over time

  • China
  • United States
02.0k4.0k6.0k197019972024

How they compare

China currently reports 6,578 Mt CO2e against 1,488 Mt CO2e in United States, a difference of 5,090 Mt CO2e.

That makes China's figure about 4.4 times United States's.

The two have swapped places 1 time across 55 shared years of data; in 1970 it was United States ahead.

China ranks 1st and United States ranks 3rd of 194 countries.

Across the 6 decades both report, China averaged higher in 2 and United States in 4.

Head to head by decade

Decade China United States Difference Ahead
1970s 182.59 Mt CO2e 1,332 Mt CO2e 1,149 Mt CO2e United States
1980s 403.64 Mt CO2e 1,644 Mt CO2e 1,241 Mt CO2e United States
1990s 999.09 Mt CO2e 2,198 Mt CO2e 1,199 Mt CO2e United States
2000s 2,292 Mt CO2e 2,453 Mt CO2e 161.95 Mt CO2e United States
2010s 4,394 Mt CO2e 2,021 Mt CO2e 2,373 Mt CO2e China
2020s 6,091 Mt CO2e 1,548 Mt CO2e 4,543 Mt CO2e China

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher carbon dioxide (co2) emissions from power industry (energy), China or United States?
China, at 6,578 Mt CO2e against 1,488 Mt CO2e in United States as of 2024.
What is the difference in carbon dioxide (co2) emissions from power industry (energy) between China and United States?
5,090 Mt CO2e, with China ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for China and United States?
55 years are reported by both, from 1970 to 2024.
How do China and United States rank globally for carbon dioxide (co2) emissions from power industry (energy)?
China ranks 1st and United States ranks 3rd of 194 countries.
Where does this data come from?
EDGAR (Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research) Community GHG Database, Joint Research Centre (JRC) - European Commission, published as Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) (Mt CO2e). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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China vs United States: Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from Power Industry (Energy). Statizoid, drawing on EDGAR (Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research) Community GHG Database, Joint Research Centre (JRC) - European Commission. Retrieved 01 September 2026, from https://environment.statizoid.com/compare/carbon-dioxide-co2-emissions-from-power-industry-energy-mt-co2e/china/united-states/

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<a href="https://environment.statizoid.com/compare/carbon-dioxide-co2-emissions-from-power-industry-energy-mt-co2e/china/united-states/">China vs United States: Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from Power Industry (Energy)</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator
Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) (Mt CO2e)
Unit
Mt CO2e
Source
EDGAR (Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research) Community GHG Database, Joint Research Centre (JRC) - European Commission
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
241 places, 13,255 data points, 1970–2024
Last refreshed

A measure of annual emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), one of the six Kyoto greenhouse gases (GHG), from electricity and heat generation (subsector of the energy sector) including IPCC 2006 code 1.A.1.a. The measure is standardized to carbon dioxide equivalent values using the Global Warming Potential (GWP) factors of IPCC's 5th Assessment Report (AR5).