Middle East & North Africa · High income · 2023

Saudi Arabia: large EDGAR inventory · 811 MtCO₂e

In 2023, Saudi Arabia emitted 811 MtCO₂e (22.52 t per person, 0.74 t per $1K GDP) - energy led at 36% and carbon dioxide dominated the gas mix at 77%. EU EDGAR v8.0, excludes land use.

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Corpus placement

Saudi Arabia's per-person emissions rank #2 of 51 in 2023, well ahead of its GDP-intensity rank of #19 / 51 — high per-capita output from a comparatively carbon-efficient economy.

#9 / 51
Absolute Mt rank
#2 / 51
Per-capita rank
#19 / 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
23/100
Saudi Arabia · 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
22.52 t/person
EDGAR latest-year total ÷ population, vs. the 51-country corpus spread
GDP intensity F
0.74 t/$1K GDP
EDGAR latest-year total ÷ GDP, vs. the 51-country corpus spread
Methane share B
13%
Share of the gas mix that is CH4 (AR6 GWP100 ≈ 27.9× CO2, short-lived but potent)
Emissions trend F
+938%
Change from the first to the latest EDGAR-tracked year for this country

EDGAR inventory roll

Roll SAU · 2023 811 Mt · 22.52 t per person

Saudi Arabia sits in the upper absolute-Mt tercile among 51 tracked EDGAR economies (811 Mt in 2023) - absolute, per-capita, and GDP-intensity ranks on one roll.

  • ABS 811 Mt
  • PC 22.52 t
  • INT 0.74
  • RANK-A #9 / 51
  • RANK-P #2 / 51
  • RANK-I #19 / 51
  • SECTOR 36% Energy
  • GAS 77% Carbon
  • PHOTO Canada
  • BOOK 51 econ

Photo-finish absolute-Mt peer: Canada (746 Mt · Δ 65 Mt vs Saudi Arabia)

Absolute-Mt neighbourhood

2023 EDGAR totals · nearest inventories to Saudi Arabia

1. Saudi Arabia8112. Canada7463. Mexico7164. Germany6835. South Korea657

Year-to-year inventory change

What changed between 2022 and 2023

2022 → 2023
  • Saudi Arabia's EDGAR greenhouse-gas total rose from 791.4 MtCO₂e in 2022 to 810.7 MtCO₂e in 2023 in the EU EDGAR v8.0 (2024) extract, a change of +19.3 MtCO₂e (+2.4%).
  • Saudi Arabia's energy total rose from 283.9 MtCO₂e in 2022 to 291.7 MtCO₂e in 2023 in the EU EDGAR v8.0 (2024) extract, a change of +7.8 MtCO₂e (+2.7%).
  • Saudi Arabia's methane total fell from 111 MtCO₂e in 2022 to 107.6 MtCO₂e in 2023 in the EU EDGAR v8.0 (2024) extract, a change of −3.47 MtCO₂e (−3.1%).

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

Saudi Arabia's per-person emissions rank #2 of 51 in 2023, well ahead of its GDP-intensity rank of #19 / 51 — high per-capita output from a comparatively carbon-efficient economy. How we place countries.

Saudi Arabia vs all tracked economies by EDGAR greenhouse-gas total

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

811 Top 18% more MtCO₂e than 82% 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

Saudi Arabia 2023 emissions by IPCC sector

EU EDGAR v8.0 · MtCO₂e · AR6 GWP100

1. Energy2922. Industry2463. Transport1484. Fugitive emissions725. Waste326. Agriculture167. Buildings6
0%100%36%
Energy share of 2023 total

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

Saudi Arabia emissions trend (1970–2023, MtCO₂e)

Annual greenhouse-gas totals, EU EDGAR v8.0

02004006008001,000 197019771984199119982005201220192023 811
Reported annual emissions for Saudi Arabia, 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

Saudi Arabia 2023 greenhouse-gas inventory

EU EDGAR v8.0 · MtCO₂e · AR6 GWP100

1. Carbon dioxide622.92. Methane107.63. Fluorinated gases69.34. Nitrous oxide10.9

Per-person load versus carbon efficiency

Absolute inventory signature

Saudi Arabia's absolute inventory is the standout: 811 MtCO₂e puts it in the upper Mt tercile among tracked EDGAR economies (≥524.6 Mt).

Saudi Arabia's per-person rate (22.52 t, #2) in 2023 runs well ahead of its GDP-intensity rank (#19) — high consumption per person from an economy that is comparatively efficient per dollar of output.

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

Other Middle East & North Africa economies in EDGAR

Methodology

Saudi Arabia (SAU) is in the upper third of live EDGAR country mass (811 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 Saudi Arabia emit in 2023?

Saudi Arabia's 2023 total is 811 MtCO₂e per EU EDGAR v8.0 (AR6 GWP100, excludes LULUCF).

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

Saudi Arabia ranks #9 of 51 by absolute total and #2 by per-capita emissions in 2023, with GDP intensity at #19.

Which sector dominates Saudi Arabia's emissions?

Energy led at 36% of the 2023 national total (811 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.