Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from Waste in China
China: Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from Waste was 3.7 Mt CO2e in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from Waste in China, 1970–2024
Source: EDGAR (Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research) Community GHG Database, Joint Research Centre (JRC) - European Commission. Measured in Mt CO2e.
Analysis
The most recent figure for carbon dioxide (co2) emissions from waste in China is 3.7 Mt CO2e, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.1% on the previous year and up 25.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, carbon dioxide (co2) emissions from waste in China peaked at 3.7 Mt CO2e in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0.1595 Mt CO2e, in 1970.
That places China 1st out of 100 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from Waste in China, year by year
| Year | Mt CO2e | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 0.1595 Mt CO2e | — |
| 1971 | 0.1595 Mt CO2e | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 0.1634 Mt CO2e | +2.4% |
| 1973 | 0.167 Mt CO2e | +2.2% |
| 1974 | 0.1705 Mt CO2e | +2.1% |
| 1975 | 0.1738 Mt CO2e | +1.9% |
| 1976 | 0.1808 Mt CO2e | +4.0% |
| 1977 | 0.1877 Mt CO2e | +3.8% |
| 1978 | 0.1946 Mt CO2e | +3.7% |
| 1979 | 0.2015 Mt CO2e | +3.5% |
| 1980 | 0.2086 Mt CO2e | +3.5% |
| 1981 | 0.2193 Mt CO2e | +5.1% |
| 1982 | 0.2302 Mt CO2e | +5.0% |
| 1983 | 0.2414 Mt CO2e | +4.9% |
| 1984 | 0.2532 Mt CO2e | +4.9% |
| 1985 | 0.2656 Mt CO2e | +4.9% |
| 1986 | 0.2789 Mt CO2e | +5.0% |
| 1987 | 0.2929 Mt CO2e | +5.0% |
| 1988 | 0.3073 Mt CO2e | +4.9% |
| 1989 | 0.3219 Mt CO2e | +4.8% |
| 1990 | 0.3362 Mt CO2e | +4.4% |
| 1991 | 0.3527 Mt CO2e | +4.9% |
| 1992 | 0.3689 Mt CO2e | +4.6% |
| 1993 | 0.3848 Mt CO2e | +4.3% |
| 1994 | 0.4006 Mt CO2e | +4.1% |
| 1995 | 0.4163 Mt CO2e | +3.9% |
| 1996 | 0.433 Mt CO2e | +4.0% |
| 1997 | 0.4496 Mt CO2e | +3.8% |
| 1998 | 0.4661 Mt CO2e | +3.7% |
| 1999 | 0.4826 Mt CO2e | +3.5% |
| 2000 | 0.4993 Mt CO2e | +3.5% |
| 2001 | 0.5209 Mt CO2e | +4.3% |
| 2002 | 0.5427 Mt CO2e | +4.2% |
| 2003 | 0.5647 Mt CO2e | +4.1% |
| 2004 | 0.587 Mt CO2e | +3.9% |
| 2005 | 0.6247 Mt CO2e | +6.4% |
| 2006 | 0.9318 Mt CO2e | +49.2% |
| 2007 | 1.24 Mt CO2e | +33.0% |
| 2008 | 1.55 Mt CO2e | +24.8% |
| 2009 | 1.85 Mt CO2e | +19.9% |
| 2010 | 2.16 Mt CO2e | +16.6% |
| 2011 | 2.47 Mt CO2e | +14.2% |
| 2012 | 2.77 Mt CO2e | +12.4% |
| 2013 | 2.86 Mt CO2e | +3.0% |
| 2014 | 2.94 Mt CO2e | +2.9% |
| 2015 | 3.02 Mt CO2e | +2.8% |
| 2016 | 3.1 Mt CO2e | +2.6% |
| 2017 | 3.18 Mt CO2e | +2.5% |
| 2018 | 3.26 Mt CO2e | +2.4% |
| 2019 | 3.34 Mt CO2e | +2.4% |
| 2020 | 3.41 Mt CO2e | +2.3% |
| 2021 | 3.48 Mt CO2e | +2.0% |
| 2022 | 3.55 Mt CO2e | +1.9% |
| 2023 | 3.62 Mt CO2e | +2.1% |
| 2024 | 3.7 Mt CO2e | +2.1% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 3.7 Mt CO2e is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.0038 Mt CO2e, 973.1× the median. (35 countries reporting)
- China's 3.7 Mt CO2e is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.0178 Mt CO2e, 207.1× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from Waste in China changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | +49.2% | 0.6247 Mt CO2e | 0.9318 Mt CO2e |
| 2007 | +33.0% | 0.9318 Mt CO2e | 1.24 Mt CO2e |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.1758 Mt CO2e | 0.1595 Mt CO2e | 0.2015 Mt CO2e | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.2619 Mt CO2e | 0.2086 Mt CO2e | 0.3219 Mt CO2e | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.4091 Mt CO2e | 0.3362 Mt CO2e | 0.4826 Mt CO2e | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.8909 Mt CO2e | 0.4993 Mt CO2e | 1.85 Mt CO2e | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.91 Mt CO2e | 2.16 Mt CO2e | 3.34 Mt CO2e | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.55 Mt CO2e | 3.41 Mt CO2e | 3.7 Mt CO2e | 5 |
Countries ranked near China
More environment data for China
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.279 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.92 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.8065 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate -0.2517 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), annual 0.9037 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is carbon dioxide (co2) emissions from waste in China?
- Carbon dioxide (co2) emissions from waste in China was 3.7 Mt CO2e in 2024, according to EDGAR (Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research) Community GHG Database, Joint Research Centre (JRC) - European Commission.
- What is the highest carbon dioxide (co2) emissions from waste recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 3.7 Mt CO2e in 2024.
- What is the lowest carbon dioxide (co2) emissions from waste recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1595 Mt CO2e in 1970.
- How does China rank for carbon dioxide (co2) emissions from waste?
- China ranks 1st out of 100 countries with data for 2024.
- Is carbon dioxide (co2) emissions from waste rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 25.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from EDGAR (Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research) Community GHG Database, Joint Research Centre (JRC) - European Commission, published as part of Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from Waste (Mt CO2e). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 55 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
A measure of annual emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), one of the six Kyoto greenhouse gases (GHG), from the waste sector. This includes emissions from solid waste (IPCC 2006 codes 4.A Solid Waste Disposal, 4.B Biological Treatment of Solid Waste, 4.C Incineration and Open Burning of Waste) and wastewater treatment (IPCC 2006 code 4.D Wastewater Treatment and Discharge). The measure is standardized to carbon dioxide equivalent values using the Global Warming Potential (GWP) factors of IPCC's 5th Assessment Report (AR5).