Annual global emissions of carbon dioxide 1940-2020

Global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from fossil fuels and industry have increased considerably since 2000, and in 2019 reached a record high of 36.7 billion metric tons of CO2. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic caused global CO2 emissions to plummet five percent to 34.81 billion metric tons. It is projected that emissions rebounded in 2021 as lockdowns eased.

Emissions reductions

  Historically, major global events cause emission reductions. The 2009 global recession caused worldwide CO2 emissions to fall by approximately 460 million metric tons. But this pales in comparison to the emission reductions in 2020. Countries around the world were put under strict lockdowns, meaning transportation and industrial activities were significantly reduced. CO2 emission levels in India dropped for the first time in four decades in the year ending March 2020. Global CO2 emissions per capita also experienced a substantial decline in 2020, falling to an average of 4.47 metric tons per person.

Energy demand driving emissions

  The energy sector is the main cause for the rise in CO2 emissions, and global energy demand is expected to continue increasing in the coming decades, as populations and economies grow.