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Carbon intensity of the economy — all countries

Carbon intensity of the economy — United States

Carbon intensity of the economy in the United States in 2022 — 0.259 kg/$. Ranked 113 in the world out of 164. Since 1820, the indicator has risen by 763.3%.

2022 0.259 kg/$ −1.52% vs 2021
World rank 113of 164
Period maximum 1.656 kg/$1917
Period minimum 0.029 kg/$1822

Trend over time

1820–2022 · kg CO₂ per PPP $

Carbon intensity of the economy — United States, 1820–202200.511.52182018411862188319041925194619671988200920221820: 0.03 kg/$1824: 0.032 kg/$1828: 0.043 kg/$1832: 0.064 kg/$1836: 0.087 kg/$1840: 0.101 kg/$1844: 0.136 kg/$1848: 0.202 kg/$1852: 0.267 kg/$1856: 0.33 kg/$1860: 0.338 kg/$1864: 0.341 kg/$1868: 0.444 kg/$1872: 0.6 kg/$1876: 0.568 kg/$1880: 0.63 kg/$1884: 0.739 kg/$1888: 0.956 kg/$1892: 0.934 kg/$1896: 0.983 kg/$1900: 1.082 kg/$1904: 1.238 kg/$1908: 1.323 kg/$1912: 1.415 kg/$1916: 1.46 kg/$1920: 1.61 kg/$1924: 1.343 kg/$1928: 1.322 kg/$1932: 1.197 kg/$1936: 1.26 kg/$1940: 1.178 kg/$1944: 1.035 kg/$1948: 1.191 kg/$1952: 0.985 kg/$1956: 0.973 kg/$1960: 0.888 kg/$1964: 0.836 kg/$1968: 0.808 kg/$1972: 0.857 kg/$1976: 0.783 kg/$1980: 0.701 kg/$1984: 0.591 kg/$1988: 0.557 kg/$1992: 0.542 kg/$1996: 0.514 kg/$2000: 0.465 kg/$2004: 0.43 kg/$2008: 0.387 kg/$2012: 0.337 kg/$2016: 0.305 kg/$2020: 0.26 kg/$2022: 0.259 kg/$
Change over the period: +0.229 (+763.33%) Average annual rate: 1.07 %

Comparison, 2022

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: United States

United States 0.259 kg/$
World computed 0.273 kg/$
Carbon intensity of the economy — United States, by year United States All countries CSV XLSX
Year kg/$ Change Change, %
2022 0.259 −0.004 −1.52%
2021 0.263 +0.003 +1.15%
2020 0.26 −0.022 −7.8%
2019 0.282 −0.014 −4.73%
2018 0.296 +0.001 +0.34%
2017 0.295 −0.01 −3.28%
2016 0.305 −0.012 −3.79%
2015 0.317 −0.018 −5.37%
2014 0.335 −0.004 −1.18%
2013 0.339 +0.002 +0.59%
2012 0.337 −0.021 −5.87%
2011 0.358 −0.014 −3.76%
2010 0.372 +0.003 +0.81%
2009 0.369 −0.018 −4.65%
2008 0.387 −0.012 −3.01%
2007 0.399 −0.002 −0.5%
2006 0.401 −0.017 −4.07%
2005 0.418 −0.012 −2.79%
2004 0.43 −0.009 −2.05%
2003 0.439 −0.008 −1.79%
2002 0.447 −0.005 −1.11%
2001 0.452 −0.013 −2.8%
2000 0.465 −0.001 −0.21%
1999 0.466 −0.017 −3.52%
1998 0.483 −0.016 −3.21%
1997 0.499 −0.015 −2.92%
1996 0.514 −0.003 −0.58%
1995 0.517 −0.008 −1.52%
1994 0.525 −0.013 −2.42%
1993 0.538 −0.004 −0.74%
1992 0.542 −0.008 −1.45%
1991 0.55 −0.005 −0.9%
1990 0.555 +0.009 +1.65%
1989 0.546 −0.011 −1.97%
1988 0.557 +0.001 +0.18%
1987 0.556 +0.004 +0.72%
1986 0.552 −0.019 −3.33%
1985 0.571 −0.02 −3.38%
1984 0.591 −0.024 −3.9%
1983 0.615 −0.021 −3.3%
1982 0.636 −0.021 −3.2%
1981 0.657 −0.044 −6.28%
1980 0.701 −0.027 −3.71%
1979 0.728 −0.023 −3.06%
1978 0.751 −0.019 −2.47%
1977 0.77 −0.013 −1.66%
1976 0.783 −0.004 −0.51%
1975 0.787 −0.033 −4.02%
1974 0.82 −0.028 −3.3%
1973 0.848 −0.009 −1.05%
1972 0.857 −0.005 −0.58%
1971 0.862 −0.021 −2.38%
1970 0.883 +0.06 +7.29%
1969 0.823 +0.015 +1.86%
1968 0.808 −0.008 −0.98%
1967 0.816 +0.01 +1.24%
1966 0.806 −0.012 −1.47%
1965 0.818 −0.018 −2.15%
1964 0.836 −0.011 −1.3%
1963 0.847 +0.001 +0.12%
1962 0.846 −0.019 −2.2%
1961 0.865 −0.023 −2.59%
1960 0.888 −0.002 −0.22%
1959 0.89 −0.037 −3.99%
1958 0.927 −0.02 −2.11%
1957 0.947 −0.026 −2.67%
1956 0.973 +0.026 +2.75%
1955 0.947 +0.022 +2.38%
1954 0.925 −0.039 −4.05%
1953 0.964 −0.021 −2.13%
1952 0.985 −0.064 −6.1%
1951 1.049 −0.046 −4.2%
1950 1.095 +0.077 +7.56%
1949 1.018 −0.173 −14.53%
1948 1.191 −0.009 −0.75%
1947 1.2 +0.127 +11.84%
1946 1.073 +0.054 +5.3%
1945 1.019 −0.016 −1.55%
1944 1.035 +0.004 +0.39%
1943 1.031 −0.061 −5.59%
1942 1.092 −0.034 −3.02%
1941 1.126 −0.052 −4.41%
1940 1.178 +0.041 +3.61%
1939 1.137 +0.033 +2.99%
1938 1.104 −0.122 −9.95%
1937 1.226 −0.034 −2.7%
1936 1.26 +0.054 +4.48%
1935 1.206 −0.099 −7.59%
1934 1.305 −0.023 −1.73%
1933 1.328 +0.131 +10.94%
1932 1.197 −0.003 −0.25%
1931 1.2 −0.119 −9.02%
1930 1.319 −0.025 −1.86%
1929 1.344 +0.022 +1.66%
1928 1.322 −0.03 −2.22%
1927 1.352 −0.036 −2.59%
1926 1.388 +0.032 +2.36%
1925 1.356 +0.013 +0.97%
1924 1.343 −0.191 −12.45%
1923 1.534 +0.226 +17.28%
1922 1.308 −0.051 −3.75%
1921 1.359 −0.251 −15.59%
1920 1.61 +0.261 +19.35%
1919 1.349 −0.247 −15.48%
1918 1.596 −0.06 −3.62%
1917 1.656 +0.196 +13.42%
1916 1.46 −0.027 −1.82%
1915 1.487 +0.022 +1.5%
1914 1.465 −0.006 −0.41%
1913 1.471 +0.056 +3.96%
1912 1.415 +0.035 +2.54%
1911 1.38 −0.05 −3.5%
1910 1.43 +0.114 +8.66%
1909 1.316 −0.007 −0.53%
1908 1.323 −0.068 −4.89%
1907 1.391 +0.176 +14.49%
1906 1.215 −0.075 −5.81%
1905 1.29 +0.052 +4.2%
1904 1.238 −0.001 −0.08%
1903 1.239 +0.128 +11.52%
1902 1.111 +0.052 +4.91%
1901 1.059 −0.023 −2.13%
1900 1.082 +0.033 +3.15%
1899 1.049 +0.052 +5.22%
1898 0.997 +0.063 +6.75%
1897 0.934 −0.049 −4.98%
1896 0.983 +0.022 +2.29%
1895 0.961 +0.007 +0.73%
1894 0.954 −0.036 −3.64%
1893 0.99 +0.056 +6%
1892 0.934 −0.039 −4.01%
1891 0.973 +0.019 +1.99%
1890 0.954 +0.146 +18.07%
1889 0.808 −0.148 −15.48%
1888 0.956 +0.173 +22.09%
1887 0.783 +0.018 +2.35%
1886 0.765 +0.019 +2.55%
1885 0.746 +0.007 +0.95%
1884 0.739 +0.025 +3.5%
1883 0.714 +0.036 +5.31%
1882 0.678 +0.034 +5.28%
1881 0.644 +0.014 +2.22%
1880 0.63 +0.009 +1.45%
1879 0.621 +0.049 +8.57%
1878 0.572 −0.038 −6.23%
1877 0.61 +0.042 +7.39%
1876 0.568 −0.02 −3.4%
1875 0.588 −0.024 −3.92%
1874 0.612 −0.02 −3.16%
1873 0.632 +0.032 +5.33%
1872 0.6 +0.09 +17.65%
1871 0.51 +0 +0%
1870 0.51 +0.029 +6.03%
1869 0.481 +0.037 +8.33%
1868 0.444 +0.037 +9.09%
1867 0.407 +0.058 +16.62%
1866 0.349 −0.003 −0.85%
1865 0.352 +0.011 +3.23%
1864 0.341 +0.004 +1.19%
1863 0.337 +0.019 +5.97%
1862 0.318 −0.006 −1.85%
1861 0.324 −0.014 −4.14%
1860 0.338 −0.003 −0.88%
1859 0.341 +0.011 +3.33%
1858 0.33 −0.006 −1.79%
1857 0.336 +0.006 +1.82%
1856 0.33 −0.001 −0.3%
1855 0.331 +0.041 +14.14%
1854 0.29 +0.018 +6.62%
1853 0.272 +0.005 +1.87%
1852 0.267 +0 +0%
1851 0.267 +0.036 +15.58%
1850 0.231 +0.011 +5%
1849 0.22 +0.018 +8.91%
1848 0.202 +0.01 +5.21%
1847 0.192 +0.021 +12.28%
1846 0.171 +0.015 +9.62%
1845 0.156 +0.02 +14.71%
1844 0.136 +0.013 +10.57%
1843 0.123 +0.008 +6.96%
1842 0.115 +0.009 +8.49%
1841 0.106 +0.005 +4.95%
1840 0.101 +0.008 +8.6%
1839 0.093 +0.002 +2.2%
1838 0.091 −0.007 −7.14%
1837 0.098 +0.011 +12.64%
1836 0.087 +0.005 +6.1%
1835 0.082 +0.013 +18.84%
1834 0.069 −0.001 −1.43%
1833 0.07 +0.006 +9.38%
1832 0.064 +0.013 +25.49%
1831 0.051 −0.001 −1.92%
1830 0.052 +0.003 +6.12%
1829 0.049 +0.006 +13.95%
1828 0.043 +0.003 +7.5%
1827 0.04 +0.002 +5.26%
1826 0.038 +0.004 +11.76%
1825 0.034 +0.002 +6.25%
1824 0.032 +0.002 +6.67%
1823 0.03 +0.001 +3.45%
1822 0.029 −0.001 −3.33%
1821 0.03 +0 +0%
1820 0.03 — —

Northern America, 2022

The same indicator for neighboring countries — with links to their pages

US United States 0.259 CA Canada 0.311
Full table for all countries

About the indicator

Carbon dioxide emissions per unit of gross domestic product at purchasing power parity. The indicator answers how cleanly a country produces value, and it separates two different paths to lower emissions: producing less, and emitting less per unit produced. Global carbon intensity has been falling almost without interruption since the 1970s, but more slowly than output has grown — which is why absolute emissions kept rising.

Important: The aggregate for groups of countries is weighted by GDP at PPP, which is exactly the sum of emissions divided by the sum of GDP. The conversion is at PPP rather than at market exchange rates — otherwise poor countries would look carbon-intensive simply because their prices are low.

Source: CO₂ and GHG Emissions (Our World in Data), license CC BY 4.0.

Other indicators for the United States

Emissions CO2 emissions

Annual carbon dioxide emissions from burning fuel and producing cement.

United States by year Emissions CO2 emissions from coal

How much carbon dioxide comes from burning coal — the dirtiest of the fuels.

United States by year Economy GDP at purchasing power parity

The size of the economy in international dollars — adjusted for price differences between countries.

United States by year Emissions CO2 emissions per capita

How many tonnes of carbon dioxide each resident of a country accounts for in a year.

United States by year
All indicators for the United States