Annual global CO2 emissions by source 1800-2022

Since the industrial revolution, the volume of carbon dioxide (CO₂) emitted into the air by human activity has grown exponentially, especially since the second half of the 20^th century.

Fossil fuel consumption

Fossil fuel consumption has become synonymous with industrial development across the globe, however it has had an adverse effect on the earth's climate, causing ocean and surface temperatures to rise at an unsustainable rate, in addition to related problems such as ocean acidification, more frequent of natural disasters, and the destruction of the natural world in the pursuit of these resources. Initially, coal was the most commonly-used fossil fuel and was also the largest polluter, before it was overtaken by oil in the 1960s. Coal emissions then spiked once again in the early 2000s, primarily due to a rise in consumption in China, although oil remains the most-consumed fossil fuel in the world today, it is relatively "cleaner" than coal.

The switch to cleaner energy

Since awareness of climate change has risen in recent decades, the need for alternative energy sources has come to the fore - while the use of natural gas has risen due to its greater efficiency and lower emissions, nuclear and renewable sources of energy are viewed as a long-term solution to the climate emergency. Despite the recent surge in renewable energy output, the volume of CO₂ emitted into the atmosphere continues to rise in most years, due to the growing global population, increased international trade, and lifestyle demands in both more-developed and developing countries alike.

Annual global carbon dioxide emissions by fuel or industry from 1800 to 2022 (in millions of tons)

Characteristic	Oil	Coal	Cement	Natural gas	Flaring	Other
2022	11,877.89	15,219.3	1,605.47	7,748.47	397.45	301.2
2021	11,514.74	14,982.52	1,692.4	7,922.11	403.43	301.34
2020	10,899.95	14,225.92	1,633.05	7,555.26	398.52	295.05
2019	12,377.95	14,684.31	1,615.78	7,621.43	435.43	305.21
2018	12,267.44	14,725.25	1,565.8	7,498.02	407.29	303.15
2017	12,219.62	14,489.68	1,504.53	7,121.33	387.48	302.81
2016	12,006.96	14,325.49	1,482.88	6,969.96	374.24	300.5
2015	11,885.38	14,662.11	1,444.45	6,783.36	384.28	303.65
2014	11,621.55	15,006.09	1,499.51	6,646.64	387.03	305.39
2013	11,584.06	14,989.08	1,442.9	6,536.35	385.53	294.54
2012	11,498.22	14,896.54	1,384.17	6,502.51	377.31	276.71
2011	11,348.47	14,731.27	1,349.18	6,372.96	359.51	275.08
2010	11,329.97	13,940.77	1,254.87	6,193.11	341.44	246.16
2009	10,961.71	13,033.12	1,175.42	5,748.56	330.43	244.03
2008	11,205.64	13,203.81	1,143.37	5,894.37	334.76	259.96
2007	11,248.81	12,788.58	1,129.16	5,730.25	343.3	259.63
2006	11,211.11	12,199.22	1,051.33	5,543.59	347.55	252.96
2005	11,109.2	11,553.74	963.94	5,374.96	347.98	242.27
2004	11,010.54	10,876.57	898.58	5,260.28	342.65	231.58
2003	10,617.43	10,522.82	860.01	5,082.75	344.61	221.04
2002	10,336.71	9,684.06	781.89	4,904.6	324.73	216.3
2001	10,356.23	9,259.31	753.95	4,756.26	335.84	213.34
2000	10,278.07	9,207.2	721.43	4,731.03	347.24	216.32
1999	10,135.52	8,862.76	690.51	4,595.32	330.13	219.26
1998	9,893.82	8,735.93	658.35	4,485.61	336.68	220.56
1997	9,767.22	8,977.74	660.85	4,413.48	352.94	223.73
1996	9,621.54	9,024.37	635.11	4,396.57	350.56	222.01
1995	9,338.96	8,803.17	622.29	4,210.04	326.48	223.55
1994	9,254.1	8,559.12	588.43	4,101.93	314.82	216.38
1993	9,218.41	8,511.26	551.28	4,067.15	234.1	216.14
1992	9,211.26	8,409.5	528.56	3,959.73	241.98	216.17
1991	9,708.48	8,614.59	507.48	3,909.33	274.01	215.59
1990	9,245.1	8,701.8	493.63	3,830.34	258.8	223.02
1989	9,116.43	8,891.69	493.1	3,640.36	150.68	86.71
1988	8,960.31	8,892.93	483.22	3,466.25	185.51	89.16
1987	8,643.08	8,598.47	458.9	3,307.92	163.01	74.41
1986	8,571.33	8,320.63	440.08	3,046.15	169.67	59.65
1985	8,322.07	8,201.94	422.45	3,121.95	181.45	55.27
1984	8,323.76	7,650.65	417.36	3,010.97	186.75	52.24
1983	8,256.59	7,297.6	409.61	2,760.98	212.85	48.27
1982	8,341.17	7,111.2	400.75	2,731.66	235.58	45.01
1981	8,546.78	6,988.98	402.62	2,794.72	237.17	46.67
1980	8,948.32	7,008.48	402.52	2,758.48	316.45	48.2
1979	9,272.93	6,828.33	399.76	2,689.38	360.15	52.46
1978	9,155.99	6,521.47	394.56	2,550.68	390.17	51.08
1977	8,838.89	6,412.42	370.76	2,441.43	381.47	49.69
1976	8,538.58	6,260.04	354.05	2,387.15	395.41	50.02
1975	8,036.56	6,034.68	339.04	2,255.82	336.71	47.17
1974	8,105.39	5,860.02	341	2,259.21	391.37	52.39
1973	8,223.55	5,861.54	340.52	2,204.1	402.16	51.63
1972	7,764.82	5,689.86	321.56	2,052.25	346.89	48.07
1971	7,201.51	5,698.28	303.39	1,933.5	321.45	44.66
1970	6,800.14	5,696.57	288.49	1,790.86	277.74	44.35
1969	5,979.45	5,516.12	270.84	1,708.68	244.03	41.71
1968	5,529.31	5,317.47	255.43	1,559.74	203.8	38.59
1967	5,076.13	5,259.16	239.92	1,433.13	190.78	37.2
1966	4,761.2	5,346.64	233.05	1,340.04	144.57	36.22
1965	4,411.81	5,285.71	216.46	1,230.73	130.44	34.53
1964	4,107.03	5,209.61	206.16	1,153.05	112.79	34.98
1963	3,806.51	5,104.29	185.98	1,047.01	90.51	31.75
1962	3,561.59	4,924.53	176.37	967.87	85.93	30.28
1961	3,313.26	4,939.33	164.15	882.21	86.22	29.22
1960	3,125.71	5,151.95	157.39	834.73	89.14	27.51
1959	2,903.99	4,947.03	145.24	758.42	91.69	8.29
1958	2,726.86	4,753.32	129.69	706	95.11	6.16
1957	2,622.48	4,680.66	122.45	646.82	106.39	6.82
1956	2,510.94	4,595.99	116.49	587.35	108.17	7.04
1955	2,313.65	4,371.64	107.44	547.33	96.84	6.97
1954	2,069.12	4,038.46	97.13	501.44	77.61	5.72
1953	1,956.17	4,042.73	89.55	474.61	81.35	6.45
1952	1,840.7	4,008.1	80.75	447.17	85.36	5.35
1951	1,744.89	4,059.09	75.77	416.28	79.88	5.5
1950	1,575.25	3,855.34	66.9	353.24	73.62	4.99
1949	1,272.31	3,545.8	58.19	300.52	-	4.18
1948	1,349.2	3,739.09	51.64	280.19	-	4.84
1947	1,228.95	3,621.18	43.14	247.96	-	4.55
1946	1,147.91	3,234.05	36.31	223.89	-	3.96
1945	1,015.4	2,998.04	22.99	216.75	-	3.96
1944	1,025.28	3,868.04	22.66	197.6	-	4.33
1943	894.44	3,925.26	34.77	182.9	-	4.33
1942	841.43	3,909.7	38.38	166.05	-	4.03
1941	885.99	3,884.03	43.29	153.46	-	4.03
1940	879.36	3,793.77	31.43	153.55	-	3.23
1939	836.45	3,434.93	35.66	141.35	-	2.86
1938	803.01	3,227.66	38.52	135.51	-	2.2
1937	826.77	3,463.36	40.8	140.59	-	2.71
1936	733.95	3,284.79	38.74	125.55	-	2.49
1935	672.81	2,996.57	32.06	111.38	-	1.98
1934	624.16	2,877.99	28.51	101.96	-	1.61
1933	589.77	2,635.44	23.84	90.92	-	1.54
1932	539.44	2,519.8	24.69	88.22	-	1.32
1931	563.84	2,830.44	30.89	92.89	-	1.83
1930	582.55	3,213.99	35.56	104.23	-	2.27
1929	606.12	3,522.15	36.87	102.9	-	2.86
1928	552.38	3,305.24	35.58	82.63	-	2.93
1927	540.27	3,361.45	15.45	76.02	-	2.93
1926	492.45	3,081.69	14.74	69.15	-	3.01
1925	494.22	3,151.39	14.43	63.92	-	3.08
1924	471.97	3,152.61	0.22	59.71	-	2.71
1923	474.39	3,146.4	0.21	52.53	-	2.71
1922	426.95	2,770.65	0.19	40.11	-	2.42
1921	384.91	2,668.38	0.13	34.99	-	1.69
1920	351.33	3,125.91	0.15	41.69	-	2.35
1919	273.43	2,715.31	0.12	37.95	-	2.2
1918	245.06	3,209.44	0.12	36.52	-	2.13
1917	239.47	3,257.81	0.15	40.51	-	2.49
1916	215.3	3,129.28	0.18	38.38	-	2.71
1915	197.66	2,902.74	0.16	31.87	-	2.42
1914	186.14	2,961.66	0.15	30.14	-	2.27
1913	182.14	3,291.91	0.2	29.6	-	2.42
1912	157.31	3,047.82	0.18	28.32	-	2.35
1911	152.93	2,898.43	0.15	25.72	-	2.27
1910	144.19	2,862.5	0.14	24.92	-	2.35
1909	134.46	2,730.05	0.12	23.52	-	2.35
1908	128.88	2,625.93	0.12	19.68	-	1.83
1907	119.51	2,746.87	0	19.88	-	2.05
1906	97.96	2,415.61	0	19.03	-	2.13
1905	97.08	2,311.08	0	17.17	-	1.98
1904	96.13	2,166.62	0	15.17	-	1.83
1903	85.6	2,153.97	0	14.53	-	-
1902	80.84	1,973.15	0	13.7	-	-
1901	74.78	1,929.1	0	12.86	-	-
1900	67.35	1,873.32	0	11.54	-	-
1899	60.07	1,782.74	0	10.9	-	-
1898	57.2	1,631.51	0	8.46	-	-
1897	55.55	1,546.39	0	7.29	-	-
1896	52.59	1,476.93	0	6.85	-	-
1895	48.56	1,431.83	0	7.04	-	-
1894	41.72	1,354.6	0	6.7	-	-
1893	42.56	1,305.62	0	7.29	-	-
1892	40.22	1,324.4	0	7.78	-	-
1891	40.85	1,311.96	0	8.95	-	-
1890	34.67	1,254.01	0	11.69	-	-
1889	28.42	1,153.97	0	12.23	-	-
1888	24.59	1,152.98	0	16.77	-	-
1887	23.5	1,043.46	0	11.79	-	-
1886	21.84	997.9	0	7.68	-	-
1885	18.98	988.95	0	3.72	-	-
1884	18.34	984.62	0	1.17	-	-
1883	16.53	975.84	0	0.38	-	-
1882	18.96	914.23	0	0.16	-	-
1881	17.27	866.28	0	-	-	-
1880	15.39	838.52	0	-	-	-
1879	12.68	743.31	-	-	-	-
1878	10.07	695.91	-	-	-	-
1877	8.84	691.56	-	-	-	-
1876	6.56	680.22	-	-	-	-
1875	5.86	671.26	-	-	-	-
1874	6.27	617.97	-	-	-	-
1873	5.69	660.79	-	-	-	-
1872	3.74	623.57	-	-	-	-
1871	3.32	563.57	-	-	-	-
1870	3.16	530.18	-	-	-	-
1869	2.63	519.32	-	-	-	-
1868	2.3	489.25	-	-	-	-
1867	2.01	476.15	-	-	-	-
1866	1.97	444.58	-	-	-	-
1865	1.32	431.54	-	-	-	-
1864	1.11	406.61	-	-	-	-
1863	1.3	376.88	-	-	-	-
1862	1.4	353.08	-	-	-	-
1861	0.95	346.84	-	-	-	-
1860	0.28	330.68	-	-	-	-
1859	0.05	301.43	-	-	-	-
1858	0.06	284.16	-	-	-	-
1857	0.05	279.88	-	-	-	-
1856	0.04	277.26	-	-	-	-
1855	0.04	260.07	-	-	-	-
1854	-	255.14	-	-	-	-
1853	-	217.21	-	-	-	-
1852	-	207.55	-	-	-	-
1851	-	198.8	-	-	-	-
1850	-	196.9	-	-	-	-
1849	-	183.51	-	-	-	-
1848	-	173.82	-	-	-	-
1847	-	172.4	-	-	-	-
1846	-	157.79	-	-	-	-
1845	-	155.21	-	-	-	-
1844	-	141.42	-	-	-	-
1843	-	132.85	-	-	-	-
1842	-	129.5	-	-	-	-
1841	-	122.62	-	-	-	-
1840	-	118.93	-	-	-	-
1839	-	111.61	-	-	-	-
1838	-	108.04	-	-	-	-
1837	-	104.69	-	-	-	-
1836	-	104.78	-	-	-	-
1835	-	90.45	-	-	-	-
1834	-	88.49	-	-	-	-
1833	-	86.81	-	-	-	-
1832	-	85.11	-	-	-	-
1831	-	84.53	-	-	-	-
1830	-	89.12	-	-	-	-
1829	-	66.4	-	-	-	-
1828	-	66.64	-	-	-	-
1827	-	65.92	-	-	-	-
1826	-	61.42	-	-	-	-
1825	-	60.76	-	-	-	-
1824	-	58.53	-	-	-	-
1823	-	56.55	-	-	-	-
1822	-	53.47	-	-	-	-
1821	-	51.44	-	-	-	-
1820	-	50.69	-	-	-	-
1819	-	49.95	-	-	-	-
1818	-	49.64	-	-	-	-
1817	-	49.43	-	-	-	-
1816	-	47.66	-	-	-	-
1815	-	43.49	-	-	-	-
1814	-	42.13	-	-	-	-
1813	-	41.22	-	-	-	-
1812	-	41.01	-	-	-	-
1811	-	39.58	-	-	-	-
1810	-	37.38	-	-	-	-
1809	-	35.09	-	-	-	-
1808	-	35.06	-	-	-	-
1807	-	36.87	-	-	-	-
1806	-	35.05	-	-	-	-
1805	-	33.42	-	-	-	-
1804	-	34.31	-	-	-	-
1803	-	31.49	-	-	-	-
1802	-	36.78	-	-	-	-
1801	-	27.96	-	-	-	-
1800	-	28.09	-	-	-	-