Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions Data
On a global scale, the primary greenhouse gases emitted by human activities are:
1. Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
Carbon dioxide makes up 74.1% of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. Fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas make up 92% of CO2 in the atmosphere based on human activity. CO2 can also be emitted from direct human-induced impacts on land use and forestry including deforestation, degradation of soil and land clearing for agriculture. In fact, 3.7% of human made carbon dioxide emissions are due to land use, mostly deforestation [ref].
However, land also has the potential to remove CO2 from the atmosphere through improvement of soils, reforestation and related activities [ref].
2. Methane (CH4)
Methane is the 2nd most abundant anthropogenic greenhouse after carbon dioxide and accounts for around 20% of worldwide emissions. Methane emissions are prominent in the agricultural, waste management, energy and biomass burning industries and make up 17.3% of global greenhouse gas emissions worldwide [ref].
Methane is also 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide when it comes to trapping heat in the atmosphere [ref]. In the past, methane was overlooked in the climate change conversation. But today, scientists and policymakers are recognizing that methane reduction is crucial. In fact, reducing methane emissions could lower the stock of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and cut the very risk of “tipping points”- this is when climate change becomes self-perpetuating. This is because methane stays in the atmosphere for only 12 years on average compared with up to a thousand years for CO2 [ref].
3. Nitrous Oxide (N2O)
Nitrous Oxide makes up 6.2% of total greenhouse gas emissions and around 40% of total N2O emissions are attributed to human activities [ref]. N2O emissions are emitted from agricultural activities such as the use of fertiliser, land use, transportation and industry. However, agriculture is the primary source of N2O emissions. Fossil fuel combustion also generated N2O emissions worldwide [ref].
4. Fluorinated Gases (F-gases)
F-gases include hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) make up 2.4% of global emissions [ref]. Unlike other major greenhouse gases, the fluorinated gases have no significant natural sources and are almost entirely emitted due to human-related activities [ref]. These human activities include industrial processes, refrigeration, and the use of consumer products.
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Global Emissions by Economic Sectors
Global greenhouse gas emissions are broken down by the economic activities that lead to their production. These global economic sectors include:
1. Heat and Electricity Production
Heat and electricity sectors emitted 23% of 2010 global greenhouse gas emissions. The burning of coal, oil and natural gas for electricity and heat is the largest single source of global greenhouse gas emissions [ref].
2. Industry
The industry sector made up 24% of global greenhouse gas emissions in 2010 [ref]. Greenhouse gas emissions in this sector involve fossil fuels burned on site at facilities for energy production. The industry sector also includes emissions from mineral transformation, chemical and metallurgical processes as well as waste management activities [ref].
3. Agricultural, Land-use and Forestry
22% of global greenhouse gas emissions in 2010 were attributed to this sector, with most emissions coming from agriculture and the cultivation of crops and livestock [ref].
4. Transportation
The Transportation sector is vast and includes the movements of goods and people by trucks, trains, cars, ships, airplanes and other vehicles. The majority of greenhouse gas emissions in this sector are carbon dioxide emissions that are a result of petroleum based-products in internal combustion engines. However, the biggest contributors of greenhouse gases in this sector include trucks and cars [ref].
15% of 2010 global greenhouse gas emissions come from the transportation sector and primarily involve the burning of fossil fuels for rail, air, road and marine transportation. It is also important to note that 95% of global transportation energy comes from petroleum-based fuels, including diesel and gasoline [ref].
5. Residential and Commercial Buildings
The residential and commercial sector includes homes and commercial businesses and excludes agricultural and industrial related-activities. Greenhouse gas emissions from this sector come from direct emissions, including fossil-fuel combustion in homes and commercial businesses as well as indirect emissions that occur offsite yet are associated with the use of electricity consumed by these buildings [ref].
6% of 2010 global greenhouse gas emissions arise from onsite energy generation [ref].
6. Other Energy Sectors
This source of greenhouse gas emissions refers to the emissions from the energy sector that are not directly linked with heat and energy production, including refining, transportation, processing and fuel extraction.
10% of 2010 global greenhouse gas emissions are attributed to this sector [ref].
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Which countries have seen a significant rise in greenhouse gas emissions?
A small number of countries contribute to the majority of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, with the top 10 emitters accounting for over two-thirds of global greenhouse gas emissions annually. However, most of these countries have large populations and economies, and together, these countries account for over 50% of the world’s population and 75% of the world’s GDP [ref].
China is the biggest emitter of global greenhouse gas emissions, at 26.4% and is followed by the US at 12.5% and India at 7.06%.
China is the largest carbon dioxide emitter, with 10 668 million metric tons emitted in 2020. For perspective, 10,668 million metric tons is equivalent to 2,300 million cars driven per year. The primary source of these emissions is the burning of fossil fuels, notably coal. In 2021, coal supplied around 55% of China’s total energy consumption, down from 56% in 2020 and 70% in 2001 [ref]. However, coal consumption is increasing in China, and these numbers represent a smaller % as they are diversifying. An estimated 15.3 million b/d of petroleum and other liquids were consumed in China in 2021, up 840,000 b/d, or approximately 6%, from 2020 [ref].
The US is the second largest emitter of greenhouse gas emissions and, in 2020, was reported to have 5,222 million metric tons of total carbon dioxide emissions. The US economy is also reliant on the transportation sector and burns petroleum while consumers depend on cars as a primary means of transportation – contributing to the carbon footprint through diesel and gasoline. Industry is also a large emitter of carbon emissions in the US.
India is the third largest emitter of global greenhouse gases, and similar to China, the main energy source of India is coal, supplying around 45% of the energy in the country. Petroleum and similar liquids provide close to 26% of energy for the country. Natural gas accounts for just 6% of the country’s energy consumption; however, India plans to increase the natural gas market share to 15% by 2030.
Among the top 10 total greenhouse gas emitters in the world, Canada and the US have the highest per capita greenhouse gas emissions at 19.6 tCO2e per person and 18.28 tCO2e per person, respectively, while India has the lowest at 2.48 tCO2e per person. China’s per capita emissions (9.06 tCO2e) continue to rise [ref].
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What can countries do to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
The world is facing the impact of climate change, and to avoid more costly and dangerous impacts, the latest IPCC report finds that for the world to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees C (2.7 degrees F) and prevent the worst effects of climate change, global emissions need to peak before 2025. Globally, 2030 greenhouse gas emissions need to be 55% lower than they would be under the initial round of nationally determined contributions (NDCs) [ref].
The largest emissions sources, such as the energy and industrial sector, are good places to begin, but rapid transformations across all systems are needed. The COP, the supreme decision-making body of the United Nations Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), is dedicated to assessing the progress in combating climate change. The purpose is to assess global progress in dealing with climate change and to establish legally binding obligations for developed countries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.
A key task for the COP is to review the national communications and emission inventories submitted by Parties. Based on this information, the COP assesses the effects of the measures taken by the Parties and the progress made in achieving the ultimate objective of the Convention.
Technology also plays a major role in the mitigation, management and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions across industries and sectors. With leading-edge emission monitoring solutions, GHGSat delivers actionable metrics and insights critical to environmental, production and financial decision-making, helping carbon-intensive industries and governments to achieve their emission reduction goals.
GHGSat launched a free version of our emissions intelligence platform, SPECTRA. This subscription includes the highest resolution methane concentration map available online for free, as well as access to a gallery of satellite methane measurement samples from GHGSat.
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