Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from Industrial Processes in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from Industrial Processes was 2.52 Mt CO2e in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from Industrial Processes in United Kingdom, 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 nitrous oxide (n2o) emissions from industrial processes in United Kingdom is 2.52 Mt CO2e, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 55 years on record.
The figure is down 2.4% on the previous year and down 16.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, nitrous oxide (n2o) emissions from industrial processes in United Kingdom peaked at 15.92 Mt CO2e in 1976 and was at its lowest, 2.52 Mt CO2e, in 2024.
That places United Kingdom 26th out of 203 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from Industrial Processes in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | Mt CO2e | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 4.28 Mt CO2e | — |
| 1971 | 4.3 Mt CO2e | +0.5% |
| 1972 | 4.57 Mt CO2e | +6.1% |
| 1973 | 4.78 Mt CO2e | +4.6% |
| 1974 | 8.61 Mt CO2e | +80.3% |
| 1975 | 12.5 Mt CO2e | +45.2% |
| 1976 | 15.92 Mt CO2e | +27.3% |
| 1977 | 15.67 Mt CO2e | -1.6% |
| 1978 | 15.45 Mt CO2e | -1.4% |
| 1979 | 15.71 Mt CO2e | +1.7% |
| 1980 | 14.5 Mt CO2e | -7.7% |
| 1981 | 14.2 Mt CO2e | -2.1% |
| 1982 | 13.82 Mt CO2e | -2.6% |
| 1983 | 13.23 Mt CO2e | -4.3% |
| 1984 | 12.63 Mt CO2e | -4.5% |
| 1985 | 11.9 Mt CO2e | -5.7% |
| 1986 | 11.09 Mt CO2e | -6.8% |
| 1987 | 10.14 Mt CO2e | -8.6% |
| 1988 | 9.01 Mt CO2e | -11.1% |
| 1989 | 8.47 Mt CO2e | -6.1% |
| 1990 | 7.2 Mt CO2e | -15.0% |
| 1991 | 7.16 Mt CO2e | -0.5% |
| 1992 | 7.11 Mt CO2e | -0.7% |
| 1993 | 6.98 Mt CO2e | -1.8% |
| 1994 | 6.09 Mt CO2e | -12.7% |
| 1995 | 5.88 Mt CO2e | -3.6% |
| 1996 | 5.88 Mt CO2e | +0.1% |
| 1997 | 5.57 Mt CO2e | -5.3% |
| 1998 | 5.73 Mt CO2e | +2.8% |
| 1999 | 6.87 Mt CO2e | +19.9% |
| 2000 | 6.1 Mt CO2e | -11.2% |
| 2001 | 5.42 Mt CO2e | -11.1% |
| 2002 | 5.18 Mt CO2e | -4.4% |
| 2003 | 5.31 Mt CO2e | +2.4% |
| 2004 | 5.21 Mt CO2e | -1.9% |
| 2005 | 4.29 Mt CO2e | -17.7% |
| 2006 | 4.02 Mt CO2e | -6.2% |
| 2007 | 4.09 Mt CO2e | +1.6% |
| 2008 | 3.62 Mt CO2e | -11.5% |
| 2009 | 3.09 Mt CO2e | -14.5% |
| 2010 | 3.33 Mt CO2e | +7.8% |
| 2011 | 3.1 Mt CO2e | -6.9% |
| 2012 | 3.19 Mt CO2e | +2.7% |
| 2013 | 3.01 Mt CO2e | -5.5% |
| 2014 | 3.02 Mt CO2e | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 3.03 Mt CO2e | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 2.91 Mt CO2e | -4.1% |
| 2017 | 2.89 Mt CO2e | -0.5% |
| 2018 | 2.86 Mt CO2e | -1.0% |
| 2019 | 2.81 Mt CO2e | -1.7% |
| 2020 | 2.66 Mt CO2e | -5.5% |
| 2021 | 2.75 Mt CO2e | +3.5% |
| 2022 | 2.67 Mt CO2e | -3.0% |
| 2023 | 2.59 Mt CO2e | -3.0% |
| 2024 | 2.52 Mt CO2e | -2.4% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 2.52 Mt CO2e is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.1398 Mt CO2e, 18.1× the median. (77 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 2.52 Mt CO2e is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.4567 Mt CO2e, 5.5× the median. (49 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from Industrial Processes in United Kingdom 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | +80.3% | 4.78 Mt CO2e | 8.61 Mt CO2e |
| 1975 | +45.2% | 8.61 Mt CO2e | 12.5 Mt CO2e |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 10.18 Mt CO2e | 4.28 Mt CO2e | 15.92 Mt CO2e | 10 |
| 1980s | 11.9 Mt CO2e | 8.47 Mt CO2e | 14.5 Mt CO2e | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.45 Mt CO2e | 5.57 Mt CO2e | 7.2 Mt CO2e | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.63 Mt CO2e | 3.09 Mt CO2e | 6.1 Mt CO2e | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.02 Mt CO2e | 2.81 Mt CO2e | 3.33 Mt CO2e | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.64 Mt CO2e | 2.52 Mt CO2e | 2.75 Mt CO2e | 5 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More environment data for United Kingdom
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -3.13 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -7.25 Percentage change (2025)
- Wood-based panels — Production, annual growth rate -2.38 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -3.47 % 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 -0.8735 % 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 -1.29 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is nitrous oxide (n2o) emissions from industrial processes in United Kingdom?
- Nitrous oxide (n2o) emissions from industrial processes in United Kingdom was 2.52 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 nitrous oxide (n2o) emissions from industrial processes recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 15.92 Mt CO2e in 1976.
- What is the lowest nitrous oxide (n2o) emissions from industrial processes recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.52 Mt CO2e in 2024.
- How does United Kingdom rank for nitrous oxide (n2o) emissions from industrial processes?
- United Kingdom ranks 26th out of 203 countries with data for 2024.
- Is nitrous oxide (n2o) emissions from industrial processes rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is down 16.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United Kingdom 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 Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from Industrial Processes (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 nitrous oxide (N2O), one of the six Kyoto greenhouse gases (GHG), from industrial processes including IPCC 2006 codes 2.A.1 Cement production, 2.A.2 Lime production, 2.A.3 Glass Production, 2.A.4 Other Process Uses of Carbonates, 2.B Chemical Industry, 2.C Metal Industry, 2.D Non-Energy Products from Fuels and Solvent Use, 2.E Electronics Industry, 2.F Product Uses as Substitutes for Ozone Depleting Substances, 2.G Other Product Manufacture and Use and 5.A Indirect N2O emissions from the atmospheric deposition of nitrogen in NOx and NH3). The measure is standardized to carbon dioxide equivalent values using the Global Warming Potential (GWP) factors of IPCC's 5th Assessment Report (AR5).