EU emissions

CO2 emissions by country

Avatar
Matthew Boyle
Updated . What changed?
Fact checked

With global warming becoming an ever-increasing threat, countries around the world are trying to reduce their CO2 emissions and make energy production more efficient.

Read on to find out more about the CO2 emissions for each European country and the continent as a whole.

Quick facts

  • The UK is the fourth biggest emitter of CO2 in Europe, accounting for 1.2% of all CO2 emissions in the world
  • The biggest emitter of CO2 per person in Europe is Estonia, with each eprson produding 19.2 tonnes of CO2 per year
  • The country with the lowest emissions per head is Moldova, with only 1 tonne of CO2 being produced per person, each year
  • Russia produces the most overall emissions per year in Europe, accounting for 4.6% of global CO2 emissions
  • Europe produces 12% of global CO2 emisisons each year
  • Asia produces the most emissions of any continent and accounts for 49% of global emissions
  • Africa is the continent that emits the lowest amount of CO2 each year, generating 4% of global emissions

70%PrefixCountrytonnes

Europe’s emissions

The European countries that are the most considerate towards the environment are Moldova, where each person produces only one tonne of CO2 emissions per year, and Albania where each citizen accounts for two tonnes each year.
In the UK, the average person generates six tonnes of emissions each year, so we’d each need to reduce our emissions by 83% to hit the Paris Agreement target.
When looking at average emissions per person in Europe, the citizens of Estonia are the least environmentally friendly. Estonia has a population of 1.325 million, and the Estonians produces no less than 19.3 tonnes of CO2 per person, per year. Second worst is Luxembourg, which generates 16.9 tonnes per Luxembourger every year.

The highest and lowest polluters

There are lots of factors that contribute to a country’s pollution as well as individuals, such as industry, transport and exports. The country with the most emissions in Europe by far is Russia, which produces no less than 1,692,794,839 tonnes (1.7 billion) of CO2 per year and accounts for 4.60% of all global emissions. By comparison, the UK produces 1.20% of the world’s emissions, making it the fourth worst in Europe.

Worst countries in Europe

1. Russia
2. Germany
3. Turkey
4. The United Kingdom
5. France

Worst countries outside Europe

1. China
2. USA
3. India
4. Japan
5. Iran

If we look at the global picture, the biggest environmental offender is China and the Asian nation is responsible for 27.60% of all CO2 emissions. This is six times more than the worst offender in Europe (Russia).
Country Tonnes of co2 per person Whole country tonnes Of all emissions in the world
Ukraine 4.0 212,116,258 0.50%
UK 6.0 384,706,789 1.20%
Turkey 5.1 447,897,176 1.20%
Switzerland 4.5 40,074,025 0.10%
Sweden 4.8 41,501,525 0.10%
Spain 6.5 281,421,987 0.90%
Slovenia 6.6 14,609,601 0.00%
Slovakia 5.9 200,655,296 0.10%
Serbia 5.0 45,092,773
Russia 10.6 1,692,794,839 4.60%
Romania 3.8 79,995,525 0.20%
Portugal 5.8 54,863,556 0.20%
Poland 8.1 326,604,543 0.90%
Norway 6.7 44,789,859 0.10%
North Macedonia 3.3 7,251,464 0.00%
Netherlands 12.2 164,045,946 0.60%
Montenegro 4.0 2,627,815
Moldova 1.0 5,093,589
Luxembourg 16.9 9,294,689 0.00%
Lithuania 4.2 13,393,875 0.00%
Latvia 4.1 7,166,818 0.00%
Italy 5.7 355,454,172 1.00%
Ireland 8.2 39,738,354 0.10%
Iceland 8.9 3,480,027 0.00%
Hungary 4.9 50,344,705 0.10%
Greece 7.0 76,000,361 0.20%
Germany 9.2 799,373,211 2.30%
France 4.8 356,300,651 1.00%
Finland 8.2 45,956,044 0.10%
Estonia 19.3 19,809,264 0.10%
Denmark 6.3 34,550,121 0.10%
Czech Republic 9.8 107,895,756 0.30%
Croatia 3.7 17,181,602 0.00%
Bulgaria 6.5 49,071,233 0.10%
Bosnia and Herzegovina 6.0 26,646,891
Belgium 10.7 100,116,012 0.40%
Belarus 5.7 61,371,793 0.20%
Austria 7.3 69,941,756 0.20%
Albania 2.0 6,379,207
Andorra 6.0 520,184
Average: 4.0 161,425,875 0.50%
Country Tonnes of co2 per person Whole country tonnes Of all emissions in the world
China 6.7 9,838,754,028 27.60%
USA 15.6 5,269,529,513 15.20%
Canada 15.3 572,782,586 1.70%
Australia 16.5 413,092,655 1.20%
Brazil 2.2 476,066,778 1.40%
Colombia 1.7 81,226,822 0.30%
Chile 5.1 84,603,250 0.30%
UAE 28.4 231,773,458 0.80%
Philippines 1.1 127,607,963 0.40%
Egypt 2.2 218,664,378 0.60%
Ecuador 2.0 38,797,288 0.10%
Israel 8.2 66,553,412 0.20%
Iran 7.8 672,312,343 1.90%
Iraq 3.7 194,454,630 0.40%
Indonesia 1.9 486,843,756 1.50%
India 1.8 2,466,765,373 7.00%
Hong Kong 13.4 43,032,580 0.30%
Kuwait 24.0 104,393,492 0.30%
Kazahkstan 12.1 292,588,517 0.70%
Japan 9.3 1,205,061,178 3.50%
Pakistan 1.0 198,809,969 0.60%
Oman 15.2 79,995,525 0.20%
New Zealand 7.7 36,013,927 0.10%
Mexico 3.7 490,294,629 1.40%
Morocco 1.6 62,725,302 0.20%
Malaysia 8.1 254,575,871 0.80%
Singapore 40.4 64,765,076 0.70%
Saudi Arabia 18.1 635,011,088 1.80%
Qatar 43.5 129,803,321 0.30%
Peru 5.8 64,781,477 0.20%
Pakistan 1.0 198,809,969 0.60%
Vietnam 2.1 198,826,549 0.60%
Venezuela 4.6 159,567,635 0.40%
Uzbekistan 2.9 98,998,947 0.30%
Turkmenistan 13.7 72,702,485 0.20%
Trinidad & Tobago 17.4 40,697,187 0.10%
Thailand 4.3 330,839,584 0.90%
South Korea 13.2 616,096,687 2.00%
South Africa 7.3 456,325,216 1.20%
Sri Lanka 1.0 23,138,426 0.10%
Average: 9.8 661,102,379 1.95%

More guides on Finder

Ask an Expert

You are about to post a question on finder.com:

  • Do not enter personal information (eg. surname, phone number, bank details) as your question will be made public
  • finder.com is a financial comparison and information service, not a bank or product provider
  • We cannot provide you with personal advice or recommendations
  • Your answer might already be waiting – check previous questions below to see if yours has already been asked

Finder.com provides guides and information on a range of products and services. Because our content is not financial advice, we suggest talking with a professional before you make any decision.

By submitting your comment or question, you agree to our Privacy and Cookies Policy and Terms of Use.

Questions and responses on finder.com are not provided, paid for or otherwise endorsed by any bank or brand. These banks and brands are not responsible for ensuring that comments are answered or accurate.
Go to site