Which countries and industries emit the most greenhouse gases? | Climate Crisis News
World leaders and delegates are convening in Antalya, Turkey, for the 31st Conference of the Parties (COP31), the annual United Nations climate summit, which runs from November 9 to 20.
This year’s summit comes against a backdrop of rising global greenhouse gas emissions. In 2025, emissions reached 54.1 billion metric tons, an increase of 0.7% from the previous year and 68.5% from 1990, according to data provided by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) and the International Energy Agency (IEA).
Greenhouse gases, primarily carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4), trap heat in the atmosphere, contributing to rising global temperatures and an increase in extreme weather events, including heatwaves, droughts, and floods.
A detailed visual explainer published by Al Jazeera outlines the major gases contributing to climate change, the industries and countries responsible for the most emissions, and trends over time.
### Major Contributing Gases
In 2025, carbon dioxide constituted 73.8% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Most CO2 is produced from the combustion of fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas, while deforestation further exacerbates the problem by reducing the number of trees available to absorb CO2. Methane represented 17.6% of emissions, followed by nitrous oxide at 5.3% and fluorinated gases at 3.3%. Since 1990, global CO2 emissions have risen by 76.3%, according to the JRC.
### Impact of Climate Change
As greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere increase, so does the amount of heat trapped. By 2025, ocean temperatures reached their highest recorded levels, and the rate of ocean warming has sharply accelerated over the past two decades, as reported by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
Extreme weather in 2026 has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced millions. In Europe, heatwaves and wildfires from May to August led to over 30,000 excess deaths, with 220,000 evacuations in France alone. A glacier collapse in the Himalayas on August 26 resulted in over 1,500 fatalities in Nepal, with an additional 5,600 individuals reported missing.
The typhoons and tropical storms that struck in mid-2026 caused significant devastation, prompting the evacuation of three million people in China and resulting in numerous casualties in the Philippines. Earlier in the year, severe weather events in Morocco displaced more than 180,000 people, while bitter cold and snow in North America led to 174 deaths.
### Sources of Global Emissions
Since 1970, global greenhouse gas emissions have more than doubled, increasing from approximately 23 billion tons to 54.1 billion tons in 2025, according to the JRC. The power sector is the largest source of emissions, contributing nearly 30% of the total in 2025. This increase is largely attributed to rising electricity demand in rapidly developing countries like China and India.
The industrial sector, which encompasses manufacturing and mining, ranks second, accounting for 21% of emissions. The transportation sector, including cars, shipping, and aviation, follows closely with 16%. Together, these three sectors are responsible for about two-thirds of the world’s emissions.
### Major Emitters
In 2025, China, the United States, and India together produced nearly half of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. China emitted almost 16 billion tons, representing 29.5% of the global total. The United States followed with 6.02 billion tons (11.1%), while India accounted for 4.51 billion tons (8.3%). The European Union collectively contributed 5.8%, with Russia at 4.8%, Indonesia at 2.5%, and Brazil at 2.4%. Notably, international shipping and aviation accounted for 2.6% of global emissions.
Historically, emissions were primarily driven by the Industrial Revolution, which sparked significant increases in the Western world. China surpassed the United States as the largest emitter in the mid-2000s, although historically, the U.S. remains accountable for a larger cumulative percentage of global CO2 emissions since the mid-18th century.
### Emission Sources by Country
In China, the power sector is the largest contributor to emissions, generating 42% of the country’s nearly 16 billion tons. Industry follows at 31%, with fuel production at 9.5%. In a significant pledge made in September 2025, Chinese President Xi Jinping promised to reduce emissions by 7 to 10% from their peak by 2035.
In the United States, transportation accounts for 29% of emissions, primarily from vehicles. The power sector contributes 26%, followed by industry at 14%. In India, electricity generation from coal accounts for 35% of emissions, with industry at 24% and agriculture at 19%.
These statistics underscore the complexity of global emissions and the significant challenge that lies ahead in mitigating climate change.
