- China accounted for 17.4 billion tonnes, US 7 billion tonnes, and India 4.22 billion tonnes of total emissions, while Russia and China recorded highest annual increases

LONDON

Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions Hit Record 60.63 Billion Tonnes in 2025

Global greenhouse gas emissions reached a record 60.63 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2025, reflecting continued increases in several major economies, particularly Russia and China.

The findings were released by US-based climate science organization Climate TRACE, which published its 2025 results through a near real-time emissions database compiled using artificial intelligence, satellite imagery, and remote sensing technologies.

The database tracks emissions generated in 2025 by approximately 744 million facilities across 10 major sectors and 64 sub-sectors, covering every country and more than 9,000 cities worldwide.

According to data compiled from the database, global emissions rose by 0.5% year on year in 2025 an increase of 303.2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent pushing total emissions to an unprecedented 60.63 billion tonnes.

China and US Lead Global Emissions

China remained the world’s largest emitter, accounting for 17.4 billion tonnes of greenhouse gases in 2025. Emissions in the country rose by 48.8 million tonnes, or 0.28%, compared with the previous year.

The United States ranked second, producing 7 billion tonnes, with emissions increasing by 16.2 million tonnes (0.23%) year-on-year.

India placed third with 4.22 billion tonnes, though it recorded a decline of 27.5 million tonnes (0.65%), largely driven by reduced emissions in the power sector.

Russia ranked fourth with 3.2 billion tonnes and registered the sharpest annual increase among major emitters, with emissions rising by 51.6 million tonnes (1.64%).

Indonesia came fifth with 1.55 billion tonnes, followed by Brazil 1.38 billion, Iran and Japan 1.28 billion each, Saudi Arabia 1.05 billion, and Canada 950 million tonnes.

Although Saudi Arabia ranked ninth in total emissions, it recorded the largest proportional increase at 2.14%, equivalent to 22 million tonnes.

Türkiye’s greenhouse gas emissions rose by 1.4% year-on-year to 623.1 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.

In addition to India, countries reporting emission declines in 2025 included Mexico, Australia, Japan, Ukraine, Greece, France, Poland, Ecuador, and Germany.

- Fossil Fuels Drive Emission Growth

Among the 10 main sectors analyzed, fossil fuels coal, oil, and natural gas were the primary contributors to rising emissions. Emissions from fossil fuel operations increased by 151.7 million tonnes 1.56% in 2025.

Russian oil and gas production accounted for the largest share of this increase. Kazakhstan, China, Saudi Arabia, and Brazil also recorded higher emissions from fossil fuel production, with Brazil’s emissions in this category surging by 29% over the year.

By contrast, emissions from the global power sector declined by 20.3 million tonnes 0.13% in 2025, marking the first decrease since the COVID-19 pandemic. The transition to clean energy in India and China played a significant role in this reduction.

Despite the decline, the power sector remained the largest source of global greenhouse gas emissions in 2025, accounting for 26% of the total.

Clean Energy Expansion Reduces Power Sector Emissions

Electricity generation remains one of the key sectors where renewable energy particularly wind and solar has been most widely deployed. Countries expanding renewable capacity have begun to see corresponding declines in sectoral emissions.

China and India led reductions in power sector emissions. China’s emissions from electricity generation fell by 0.4% in 2025, marking its first decline since 2015, while India recorded a 2.6% drop the first since 2020.

While emissions from the global transport sector have increased by 11.2% over the past decade, Nordic countries Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden achieved a 6.2% reduction in transport-related emissions, largely due to widespread adoption of electric vehicles.

*Writing by Zeynep Ozturhan in Ankara