RAND State Statistics recently updated its Global Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions database, reporting Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions from fossil-fuel burning, cement production, and gas flaring by country and source. Global per capita emissions rates are based on population data from the U.S. Bureau of the Census. Here are some of the highlights.

From 2017 to 2018, all countries combined experienced a 4.3% increase in per capita CO2 emissions, rising from 4.7 metric tons of CO2 per capita. The United States also experienced a rise in per capita CO2 emissions, growing 3.3% from 15.1 metric tons in 2017 to 15.8 in 2018 (See Figure 1).

Figure 1—Global Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions, Per capita emissions (CO2), 2017 - 2018

Equatorial Guinea experienced the largest increase in per capita CO2 emissions from 2017 to 2018, rising 89.4%, followed by Mongolia (39.1%), the Bahamas (36.5%), Libyan Arab Jamahiriyah (19.1%), and Singapore (17.4%). (The source of these large increases is not clear without further investigation.) Alternatively, St. Pierre & Miquelon experienced a 26.0% decline, the most significant decrease in per capita CO2 emissions during this time, followed by Curacao (-24.8%), United Arab Emirates (-16.7%), Palau (-8.5%), and Kuwait (-8.5%) (See Figure 2).

Figure 2—Global Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions, Per capita emissions (CO2), 2017 - 2018

Over the longer 2009-2018 period, all countries combined experienced a 6.5% increase in per capita CO2 emissions, rising from 4.6 metric tons of CO2 per capita in 2017 to 4.9 in 2018. The United States per capita CO2 emissions decreased 7.7% over this ten-year period, falling from 16.9 in 2009 to 15.6 in 2018 (See Table 1).

Table 1—Global Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions, Per capita emissions (CO2), 2009 - 2018

Mongolia experienced the most significant increase (212.2%) in per capita CO2 emissions from 2009 to 2018, followed by New Caledonia (77.1%), Iraq (55.6%), Bermuda (54.8%), and the Bahamas (54.3%). Over this period, Aruba’s per capita CO2 emissions dropped the most significantly at 68.0%, followed by Singapore (-55.5%), Montserrat (-41.5%), Falkland Islands (Malvinas) (-35.4%), and Venezuela (-32.8%) (See Figure 3).

Figure 3—Global Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions, Per capita emissions (CO2), 2009 - 2018

Over the roughly 20-year period from 1999 to 2018, all countries combined experienced a 22.5% increase in per capita CO2 emissions, growing from 4.0 metric tons of CO2 per capita in 1999 to 4.9 in 2018. The United States experienced a 20% decrease in per capita CO2 emissions during this twenty-year period, dropping from 19.5 metric tons of CO2 per capita in 1999 to 15.6 in 2018 (See Table 2).

Table 1—Global Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions, Per capita emissions (CO2), 1999 - 2018

Equatorial Guinea experienced the largest increase in per capita CO2 emissions from 1999 to 2018, rising 1383.3%.  Other countries with significant increases during this time were Mongolia (378.1%), China (Mainland) (184.0%), Bosnia & Herzegovina (135.7%), and New Caledonia (115.5%).  Denmark experienced the most notable decrease in per capita CO2 emissions, falling 47.1%, followed by Venezuela (-43.8%), the United Kingdom (-40.0%), United Arab Emirates (-37.3%), and Singapore (-36.2%) (See Figure 4).

Figure 4—Global Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions, Per capita emissions (CO2), 1999 - 2018