Kiera Jefferson
Several countries are responsible for producing the most pollution, with China, the United States, India, Russia, and Japan being the top five contributors to carbon dioxide emissions. China tops the list, primarily due to its extensive use of coal and imported oil, with the United States following closely behind due to its gasoline-fueled transportation industry. India, the third-largest emitter, is also heavily reliant on coal, while investing in renewable energy projects. The US and EU have historically been significant polluters, but their levels of planet-heating pollution have been declining in recent years.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Countries with the highest carbon dioxide emissions | China, the United States, India, Russia, and Japan |
| China's carbon dioxide emissions | 14 bn tons of CO2 |
| United States' carbon dioxide emissions | 4.4 bn tons of CO2 |
| India's carbon dioxide emissions | 3,062 million tons of CO2 |
| Russia's carbon dioxide emissions | 1,816 million tons of CO2 |
| Countries with the highest carbon dioxide emissions per capita | Countries in the Arabian Peninsula |
| Countries with the highest carbon dioxide emissions in Europe | Germany |
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What You'll Learn
China's pollution sources
China is the world's leading emitter of greenhouse gases and mercury. Its extensive use of coal, which accounts for about 58% of the country's total energy generation, is the primary source of its carbon dioxide emissions. China's power and industrial plants, boilers, and transportation sector—which heavily relies on imported oil—release large amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere. In 2013, record smog in Northeast China caused the temporary closure of schools and Harbin Airport. The high levels of air pollution in Chinese cities are causing approximately 350,000 to 400,000 premature deaths annually, with an additional 300,000 deaths attributed to poor indoor air quality.
China's waterways are also significantly impacted by industrial discharges, rendering many unfit for direct human use. The agricultural sector is another notable source of pollution, generating more waste than factories. China has implemented some measures to address pollution, such as banning free plastic bags in stores and encouraging the use of cloth bags. Additionally, the country plans to reduce its dependence on coal and invest in renewable energy sources and natural gas.
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US climate policy
The United States is one of the world's most polluting countries, largely due to its historical emissions and its heavy reliance on fossil fuels. The US has been the largest polluter over time, despite China being the biggest polluter in 2022.
> "Any significant change in the measures of climate lasting for an extended period of time. Essentially, climate change includes major changes in temperature, precipitation, or wind patterns, as well as other effects, that occur over several decades or longer."
The US government has been engaged in multiple sectors, including electricity, transportation, buildings, industry, and agriculture, forestry, and land use, to meet its ambitious climate targets. The country has set itself the goal of reducing overall greenhouse gas emissions by 61-66% by 2035 relative to 2005 levels, achieving a 50% electric vehicle sales share by 2023, and providing 100% carbon pollution-free electricity by 2035.
The US has also committed to a net-zero emissions economy by 2050. To achieve this, the government has passed transformative laws, including the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The Inflation Reduction Act is the US policy with the biggest investment in climate change mitigation. It includes provisions related to clean energy investments, tax credits for renewable projects, and initiatives to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has provided over $26 billion to support nature-based solutions, including over $2.1 billion for ecosystem restoration activities, over $3.3 billion for wildfire risk reduction, and almost $20 billion to support the uptake of climate-smart agricultural practices.
The EPA has also been taking action to address the nation's largest sources of climate- and health-harming pollution, including the transportation, oil and natural gas, and power sectors. The EPA is implementing CO2 emission standards for commercial aviation and large business jets, as well as requirements for the oil and natural gas industry to help combat climate change and reduce emissions of harmful air pollutants. The EPA has also been working to reduce methane emissions, which is the fastest and cheapest temperature reduction opportunity.
The US has also been active internationally, partnering with nations around the world to reduce global emissions and limit warming to 1.5°C. This has included rejoining the Paris Agreement, ratifying the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, and making new pledges to multilateral climate funds.
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India's coal reliance
India is the third-largest CO2 emitter in the world, with 3,062 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions produced in 2023. The country's emissions are rising steeply, and it is projected to increase further as India develops. Coal is the primary source of energy in India, supplying about 44% of the country's energy. Petroleum and other liquids provide around 24%, while natural gas accounts for only 6% of India's energy consumption. India's coal consumption has been rapidly increasing, with coal production rising to 893 million tons in 2022-2023, a 14% growth from the previous year. Fossil fuels, mainly coal, make up around 70%-75% of India's power supply, and the country's leaders have acknowledged that coal is the only fuel it has in relative abundance. India's installed renewable energy capacity is around 180 gigawatts, with hydropower making up half of that mix. However, the country faces challenges in fully transitioning to renewable energy sources due to unreliable infrastructure and power grids, as well as its dependence on variable rainfall patterns for hydropower projects.
India has set ambitious targets for increasing the share of renewables in its energy mix. It aims to achieve 50% of its power generation from renewables by 2030 and 100% by 2070. However, energy analysts doubt that the 2030 target is achievable, and India's coal reliance is expected to continue for at least the next two decades. The country plans to increase coal production to meet the rising energy demands of its growing population and economy. India has resisted global efforts to transition away from coal, such as the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP), arguing that coal is necessary for its development and that it is being unfairly targeted while developed nations continue to rely on oil and gas.
While India has made progress in its transition to renewable energy, its coal production and consumption remain high. The country's leaders have acknowledged the need to reduce air pollution and increase the use of cleaner-burning fuels. India plans to increase the market share of natural gas to 15% by 2030 to achieve this goal. However, coal is expected to remain a significant part of India's energy mix for the foreseeable future, and the country will need to balance its renewable energy goals with the reality of its energy demands.
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Russia's natural gas
Russia's energy strategy aims to maximise the use of domestic energy sources and realise the potential of the energy sector to sustain economic growth. As of 2017, Russia holds 1,688 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of proven gas reserves, ranking second in the world and accounting for about 24.39% of the world's total gas reserves. Russia has proven reserves equivalent to 102.3 times its annual consumption levels, which means it has about 102 years of gas left at current consumption levels. Russia consumes 16,510,143 million cubic feet (MMcf) of natural gas per year as of 2017, ranking fifth in the world for gas consumption.
Russia produces 22,728,734 million cubic feet (MMcf) of natural gas per year as of 2015, ranking second in the world. It exports 26% of its natural gas production (5,992,956 MMcf in 2015). The Russian government encourages the use of natural gas cars, with companies like Italgas selling aftermarket conversion kits, while some GAZ Group vehicles are sold with natural gas systems. Gazprom, a state-controlled gas company, has a network of filling stations in the country, with plans to expand. The NEFAZ bus manufacturing company makes gas-powered buses using Daimler engines, and a natural gas variant of the Lada Vesta was introduced in 2017.
Russia has also diversified its natural gas business outside of Europe, agreeing to supply China with 38 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas each year for 30 years, starting in 2018. This agreement allows Russia to reduce its isolation due to the Russo-Ukrainian war and diversify its business outside of Europe. China benefits by lessening its dependence on coal to produce electric power, using a cleaner method of electricity generation through natural gas. The Power of Siberia pipeline, commissioned in December 2019, runs 3,968 km to the Chinese border.
Subsidies for natural gas have been one of the reasons for the limited growth of renewable energy in Russia. Gazprom has had its gas sale price to domestic and industrial customers regulated by the Russian government since 1991, needing to obtain high export sale values to generate a profit. The IEA estimated gas subsidies at 42 billion USD in 2021, the largest in the world.
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Oil-dependent countries
Saudi Arabia, for instance, has been called the world's largest petroleum exporter and the de facto leader of OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries). In 2016, the country expressed its intention to reduce its dependence on oil revenue and restructure its government departments to prepare for a post-petroleum era. This shift was largely due to the steep and sustained drop in oil prices, marking a significant change of direction for the kingdom.
Other countries where fuel accounts for more than 90% of total exports include Algeria, Azerbaijan, Brunei Darussalam, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Sudan, and Venezuela. Kuwait and Libya, along with Saudi Arabia, are among the top three countries in terms of oil revenue as a share of their GDP.
Brunei is projected to be the most oil-reliant country by 2018, with oil exports expected to account for over 60% of its GDP. This percentage is significantly higher than that of the second-most reliant country, Kuwait, and almost double that of Saudi Arabia.
While these oil-dependent countries may not be the top polluters, their economies are closely tied to the production and export of oil, making them vulnerable to fluctuations in the industry and potentially impacting their environmental policies and initiatives.
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Frequently asked questions
China is the world's largest contributor to carbon dioxide emissions, with 9.9 billion tonnes of CO2 emitted in 2020.
The United States is the second-largest producer of pollution, with 4.4 billion tonnes of CO2 emitted in 2020.
India, Russia, and Japan are also among the top five countries with the highest carbon dioxide emissions.
Yes, per capita emissions, ecological footprint, and historical emissions are also important factors when ranking polluting countries. For example, the three most polluting countries per capita are located in the Arabian Peninsula due to their large oil industry and small populations.
