If you help children connect with their environment and community, add your voice here: 2026 Census of Community-Based Environmental Learning

Per Capita CO2 Emissions by Sector

Data, Graphs, and Maps

Grades6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12Earth and Space Sciences, Geography, Mathematics

This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Provided by Our World in Data
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What it is

  • This interactive chart and table allow students to explore the per capita CO2 emissions for any country or globally starting from 1990. 
  • The data can be customized and downloaded.

Teaching tips

Positives
  • This resource shows students where most CO2 emissions come from on a per capita basis and how they have changed over time.
Additional Prerequisites
  • Students should know how to read a line graph and a global map and should be familiar with the term fugitive emissions.
  • Students may need some background information about CO2, both as a greenhouse gas and as an unregulated ozone-depleting substance.
Differentiation
  • In social studies classes, students can work in small groups to compare the per capita carbon emissions from two countries. Students can notice how the countries' per capita emissions compare by industry and overall.
  • Science classes can show students the data as a way to introduce a lesson on global warming and climate change.

From the scientist review

The resource explores per capita CO2 emissions segregated by sector from fugitive emissions, manufacturing, construction energy, transportation, electricity, AFOLU, etc. were expressed in tonnes per year. Students can explore to gain insights into emissions from these sectors. Above all, this resource is recommended for teaching.
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