What is the global average carbon footprint per person?

The global average is approximately 4.7 tonnes of CO₂ per person per year.

Which country has the largest carbon footprint per person?

Qatar leads at approximately 35.6 tonnes per person, followed by other Gulf states and the United States at about 14.9 tonnes.

What should the per-person carbon footprint be to limit warming?

To keep warming below 2°C, per-capita emissions need to drop below 2 tonnes CO₂ by 2050.

What are the biggest contributors to an individual's carbon footprint?

Transportation (especially flying), home energy use, diet (especially red meat), and consumption of goods are the largest contributors.

Global Average Carbon Footprint

Last updated: January 19, 2026

4.7 tonnes

tonnes CO₂/year

The global average carbon footprint is approximately 4.7 tonnes of CO₂ per person per year. This ranges from under 1 tonne in many African nations to over 15 tonnes in the United States and Gulf states.

Historical Trend

Source: Global Carbon Project

Global Average Carbon Footprint by Country

Country	Value (tonnes CO₂/year) ↓	Source
Qatar	35.6	Global Carbon Project
United States	14.9	Global Carbon Project
Australia	14.5	Global Carbon Project
Germany	7.9	Global Carbon Project
China	7.7	Global Carbon Project
United Kingdom	5.2	Global Carbon Project
India	1.9	Global Carbon Project
Nigeria	0.6	Global Carbon Project

Why This Average Exists

Carbon footprint measurement helps quantify individual and national contributions to climate change, guiding policy decisions and personal action on emissions reduction.

Factors That Affect Global Average Carbon Footprint

Energy sources
Transportation habits
Diet (especially meat consumption)
Industrial output
Government climate policy
Urbanization patterns

Frequently Asked Questions

Methodology & Data Sources

The data presented on this page is compiled from publicly available datasets published by international organizations including the World Bank, World Health Organization (WHO), International Labour Organization (ILO), United Nations, NASA, and national statistical agencies.

Global averages are calculated using population-weighted or arithmetic means depending on the metric. Country-level data reflects the most recent available figures, typically from 2023–2024. Where gaps exist, the latest available data point is used.

All figures are subject to revision as source organizations update their datasets. For the most authoritative data, we encourage consulting the original sources linked in the table above.