East Asia & Pacific · Upper middle income · 2023

China: large EDGAR inventory · 15,970 MtCO₂e

In 2023, China emitted 15,970 MtCO₂e (11.33 t per person, 0.90 t per $1K GDP) - energy led at 43% and carbon dioxide dominated the gas mix at 83%. EU EDGAR v8.0, excludes land use.

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Corpus placement

China sits among the largest absolute emitters (#1 of 51) in 2023, yet its per-person rate is comparatively modest (#13) — scale and per-person exposure don't line up.

#1 / 51
Absolute Mt rank
#13 / 51
Per-capita rank
#12 / 51
GDP intensity rank

According to EU EDGAR v8.0 totals, World Bank population, and GDP denominators at 2023. Excludes LULUCF.

F
Emissions Performance Score
28/100
China · 2023 EDGAR data

Based on per-capita emissions, GDP intensity, methane share, and the multi-year emissions trend, benchmarked against the 51-country EDGAR corpus, not a judgment of policy effort, development stage, or overall climate risk. See the benchmark table and methodology.

Per-capita emissions F
11.33 t/person
EDGAR latest-year total ÷ population, vs. the 51-country corpus spread
GDP intensity F
0.90 t/$1K GDP
EDGAR latest-year total ÷ GDP, vs. the 51-country corpus spread
Methane share A-
11%
Share of the gas mix that is CH4 (AR6 GWP100 ≈ 27.9× CO2, short-lived but potent)
Emissions trend F
+688%
Change from the first to the latest EDGAR-tracked year for this country

EDGAR inventory roll

Roll CHN · 2023 15,970 Mt · 11.33 t per person

China sits in the upper absolute-Mt tercile among 51 tracked EDGAR economies (15,970 Mt in 2023) - absolute, per-capita, and GDP-intensity ranks on one roll.

  • ABS 15,970 Mt
  • PC 11.33 t
  • INT 0.90
  • RANK-A #1 / 51
  • RANK-P #13 / 51
  • RANK-I #12 / 51
  • SECTOR 43% Energy
  • GAS 83% Carbon
  • PHOTO United States
  • BOOK 51 econ

Photo-finish absolute-Mt peer: United States (5,969 Mt · Δ 10,000 Mt vs China)

Absolute-Mt neighbourhood

2023 EDGAR totals · nearest inventories to China

1. China16.0k2. United States6.0k3. India4.1k4. Russia2.7k5. Brazil1.3k

Year-to-year inventory change

What changed between 2022 and 2023

2022 → 2023
  • China's EDGAR greenhouse-gas total rose from 15,183 MtCO₂e in 2022 to 15,970 MtCO₂e in 2023 in the EU EDGAR v8.0 (2024) extract, a change of +786.3 MtCO₂e (+5.2%).
  • China's energy total rose from 6,461 MtCO₂e in 2022 to 6,865 MtCO₂e in 2023 in the EU EDGAR v8.0 (2024) extract, a change of +404.3 MtCO₂e (+6.3%).
  • China's methane total rose from 1,711 MtCO₂e in 2022 to 1,733 MtCO₂e in 2023 in the EU EDGAR v8.0 (2024) extract, a change of +22.2 MtCO₂e (+1.3%).

Arithmetic differences between two inventory years in one stored EU EDGAR v8.0 (2024) extract, not a second source release, a forecast, or a policy verdict.

Trends Inventory CSV

China sits among the largest absolute emitters (#1 of 51) in 2023, yet its per-person rate is comparatively modest (#13) — scale and per-person exposure don't line up. How we place countries.

China vs all tracked economies by EDGAR greenhouse-gas total

Where China's 2023 EDGAR MtCO₂e sits among every tracked economy with live rows (inventory mass, not per-capita responsibility)

15,970 Top 2% more MtCO₂e than 98% of 51 economies

Tracked economies, banded by EDGAR MtCO₂e (AR6 GWP100)

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more economies. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source EU EDGAR v8.0 · 2023

China 2023 emissions by IPCC sector

EU EDGAR v8.0 · MtCO₂e · AR6 GWP100

1. Energy6.9k2. Industry4.9k3. Transport1.1k4. Fugitive emissions1.1k5. Agriculture9206. Buildings7107. Waste387
0%100%43%
Energy share of 2023 total

Source: EU EDGAR v8.0 (Joint Research Centre) EDGAR GHG · 2023

China emissions trend (1970–2023, MtCO₂e)

Annual greenhouse-gas totals, EU EDGAR v8.0

05,00010,00015,00020,000 197019771984199119982005201220192023 15,970
Reported annual emissions for China, 1970 to 2023 (AR6 GWP100, excludes LULUCF).

Data from EU EDGAR v8.0 (2024 release)

Source: EU EDGAR (Joint Research Centre) As of 1970–2023

China 2023 greenhouse-gas inventory

EU EDGAR v8.0 · MtCO₂e · AR6 GWP100

1. Carbon dioxide13.3k2. Methane1.7k3. Fluorinated gases549.84. Nitrous oxide427.1

Scale versus per-person exposure

Absolute inventory signature

China's absolute inventory is the standout: 15,970 MtCO₂e puts it in the upper Mt tercile among tracked EDGAR economies (≥524.6 Mt).

China sits among the larger absolute emitters (#1 of 51) in 2023, yet its per-person rate is comparatively modest (#13) — national scale and individual exposure point in different directions.

Source: EU EDGAR v8.0 (Joint Research Centre) Country totals (AR6 GWP100, excl. LULUCF) Country figures for CHN exclude LULUCF; verify policy-critical totals against the Joint Research Centre EDGAR country table.

Other East Asia & Pacific economies in EDGAR

Methodology

China (CHN) is in the upper third of live EDGAR country mass (15,970 MtCO₂e in 2023). Rows are aggregated from EU EDGAR v8.0 by IPCC sector and gas for 2023, excluding LULUCF. See the methodology page for GWP100 factors and the full pipeline. Full methodology.

Source: EU EDGAR v8.0 (Joint Research Centre) 2024 Global bottom-up inventory, CC BY 4.0.

FAQ

How much CO₂-equivalent did China emit in 2023?

China's 2023 total is 15,970 MtCO₂e per EU EDGAR v8.0 (AR6 GWP100, excludes LULUCF).

How do China's absolute and per-capita ranks compare?

China ranks #1 of 51 by absolute total and #13 by per-capita emissions in 2023, with GDP intensity at #12.

Which sector dominates China's emissions?

Energy led at 43% of the 2023 national total (15,970 MtCO₂e).

Compiled from official public sources by the publisher.

Data vintage: EU EDGAR v8.0 (2024 release), 2023 data year. Country emissions summed from EDGAR records for the focal year; LULUCF excluded on ranked surfaces.