Global CO2 emissions by sector 2020

The sector is the largest source of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions worldwide. In 2020, electricity and heat production produced 13.13 billion metric tons of CO2 (GtCO2) globally. This accounted for roughly 37 percent of global CO2 emissions that year. The second largest carbon dioxide emitter was the transportation sector, which produced 7.29 GtCO2.

Emissions from coal combustion

The power sector is a major source of emissions due to coal being the most used source for electricity generation worldwide. Coal is the dirtiest of fossil fuels, and produces huge amounts of CO2 emissions when combusted. The largest producer of coal emissions is China, which released 7.4 GtCO2 from coal use in 2020. In comparison, India, which is the second largest emitter, produced 1.6 GtCO2 from coal use.

Biggest polluters

It is no surprise that the most polluting companies are within the energy sector. Between 1965 and 2018, just 20  fossil fuel firms were responsible for emitting approximately 480 GTCO2e. This equates to around a third of all energy-related greenhouse gas emissions released during this period.

Global carbon dioxide emissions in 2020, by sector (in billion metric tons of carbon dioxide)

Characteristic	Buildings	Other industrial combustion	Other sectors	Power industry	Transportation
1970	2,927	4,559	1,852	3,696	2,796
1971	2,940	4,294	1,875	3,798	2,876
1972	3,060	4,427	1,991	4,061	3,046
1973	3,122	4,702	2,129	4,388	3,223
1974	3,039	4,706	2,109	4,462	3,192
1975	3,113	4,532	1,996	4,545	3,276
1976	3,240	4,745	2,147	4,894	3,409
1977	3,259	4,951	2,150	5,101	3,531
1978	3,367	5,061	2,319	5,230	3,675
1979	3,407	5,263	2,353	5,441	3,740
1980	3,255	5,153	2,285	5,581	3,693
1981	3,195	4,988	2,159	5,584	3,680
1982	3,178	4,853	2,105	5,581	3,646
1983	3,187	4,765	2,125	5,731	3,681
1984	3,297	4,922	2,167	5,927	3,785
1985	3,376	4,884	2,167	6,071	3,862
1986	3,404	4,896	2,192	6,221	4,004
1987	3,463	5,059	2,215	6,491	4,143
1988	3,534	5,226	2,325	6,716	4,339
1989	3,467	5,250	2,340	7,004	4,463
1990	3,365	4,935	2,205	7,626	4,596
1991	3,389	4,849	2,211	7,771	4,640
1992	3,198	4,735	2,206	7,912	4,747
1993	3,271	4,713	2,189	7,935	4,788
1994	3,161	4,755	2,323	8,011	4,885
1995	3,187	5,014	2,402	8,169	5,019
1996	3,187	4,922	2,401	8,507	5,222
1997	3,213	5,002	2,455	8,720	5,300
1998	3,037	5,048	2,418	8,901	5,420
1999	3,119	4,867	2,462	8,973	5,580
2000	3,050	5,070	2,590	9,377	5,760
2001	3,087	5,143	2,561	9,588	5,793
2002	3,085	5,193	2,607	9,720	5,931
2003	3,187	5,438	2,833	10,277	6,064
2004	3,263	5,886	2,951	10,650	6,342
2005	3,285	6,342	3,071	10,995	6,477
2006	3,258	6,647	3,242	11,429	6,624
2007	3,255	6,996	3,396	11,928	6,832
2008	3,312	7,173	3,365	11,930	6,842
2009	3,270	7,133	3,404	11,764	6,709
2010	3,319	7,739	3,577	12,548	6,997
2011	3,254	7,934	3,754	13,139	7,105
2012	3,232	7,995	3,889	13,418	7,170
2013	3,343	8,057	3,770	13,645	7,356
2014	3,296	8,082	3,896	13,604	7,493
2015	3,312	8,017	3,917	13,429	7,712
2016	3,327	7,825	4,012	13,432	7,869
2017	3,390	7,813	4,056	13,627	8,050
2018	3,488	7,988	4,193	13,905	8,142
2019	3,536	8,079	4,294	13,751	8,251
2020	3,386	7,818	4,342	13,127	7,289

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Release date

2021

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Region

Worldwide

Survey time period

1970 to 2020

Supplementary notes

Source did not provide a release date
Figures have been rounded
*Power Industry - Power and heat generation plants (public & autoproducers) Other
Other industrial combustion - Combustion for industrial manufacturing and fuel production
Buildings – Small scale non-industrial stationary combustion
Transport – Mobile combustion (road & rail & ship & aviation)
Other sectors – Industrial process emissions & agriculture & waste.