Green
Visualizing Changes in CO₂ Emissions Since 1900
Subscribe to the Elements free mailing list for more like this
Visualizing CO₂ Emissions Since 1900
This was originally posted on Elements. Sign up to the free mailing list to get beautiful visualizations on natural resource megatrends in your email every week.
Leaders from all over the world are currently gathering at the Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC (COP 27) in Egypt to discuss climate action, and to negotiate the commitments being made by countries to the global climate agenda.
This visualization based on data from the Global Carbon Project shows the changes in global fossil fuel carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions from 1900 to 2020, putting the challenge of fighting climate change into perspective.
Cumulative CO₂ Emissions vs. Rate of Change
Global climate change is primarily caused by carbon dioxide emissions. Fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas release large amounts of CO₂ when burned or used in industrial processes.
Before the Industrial Revolution (1760-1840), emissions were very low. However, with the increased use of fossil fuels to power machines, emissions rose to 6 billion tonnes of CO₂ per year globally by 1950. The amount had almost quadrupled by 1990, reaching a rate of over 22 billion tonnes per year.
Currently, the world emits over 34 billion tonnes of CO₂ each year. Since 1751, the world has emitted over 1.5 trillion tonnes of CO₂ cumulatively.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, average global growth in fossil CO₂ emissions had slowed to 0.9% annually during the 2010s, reaching 36.7 gigatons of CO₂ added to the atmosphere in 2019.
However, in 2020, global lockdowns led to the biggest decrease in CO₂ emissions ever seen in absolute terms. Global fossil CO₂ emissions decreased by 5.2% to 34.8 gigatons, mainly due to halts in aviation, surface transport, power generation, and manufacturing during the pandemic.
Since then, emissions have approached pre-pandemic levels, reaching 36.2 gigatons added to the atmosphere in 2021.
Biggest Emitters, by Country
Asia, led by China, is the largest emitter, with the continent accounting for more than half of global emissions.
Rank | Country | 2020 CO₂ Emissions (Millions of metric tons) |
---|---|---|
#1 | 🇨🇳 China | 10,668 |
#2 | 🇺🇸 United States | 4,713 |
#3 | 🇮🇳 India | 2,442 |
#4 | 🇷🇺 Russia | 1,577 |
#5 | 🇯🇵 Japan | 1,031 |
#6 | 🇮🇷 Iran | 745 |
#7 | 🇩🇪 Germany | 644 |
#8 | 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | 626 |
#9 | 🇰🇷 South Korea | 598 |
#10 | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | 590 |
#11 | 🇨🇦 Canada | 536 |
#12 | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 467 |
#13 | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 452 |
#14 | 🇹🇷 Turkey | 393 |
#15 | 🇦🇺 Australia | 392 |
CO₂ emissions from developing economies already account for more than two-thirds of global emissions, while emissions from advanced economies are in a structural decline.
Coal Power Generation Set for Record Increase
To avoid the worst impacts of climate change, more than 130 countries have now set or are considering a target of reducing emissions to net zero by 2050.
Much of the slowdown in emissions growth in the 2010s was attributable to the substitution of coal—the fuel that contributes most to planet-warming emissions—with gas and renewables. In addition, during the previous COP26 held in Glasgow, 40 nations agreed to phase coal out of their energy mixes.
Despite that, in 2021, coal-fired electricity generation reached all-time highs globally and is set for a new record in 2022 as consumption surged in Europe to replace shortfalls in hydro, nuclear, and Russian natural gas.
As leaders meet in Egypt for the world’s largest gathering on climate action, it will be up to them to come up with a plan for making their environmental aspirations a reality.
Agriculture
Fertilizer: Why it’s More Important than You Think
Fertilizer usage dates back to as early as 6,000 to 2,400 BC and remains just as crucial for crop production today.

Fertilizer: Why It’s More Important Than You think
The global population is expected to reach nearly 10 billion people by 2050. So, in order to feed our growing world sustainably, increased crop production is essential.
Over recent decades, farmers have been able to more than double their production of crops thanks to fertilizers and the vital nutrients they contain.
When crops are harvested, the essential nutrients are taken away with them to the dining table, resulting in the depletion of these nutrients in the soil. To replenish these nutrients, fertilizers are needed, and the cycle continues.
The above infographic by Brazil Potash shows the role that each macronutrient plays in growing healthy, high-yielding crops.
Food for Growth
Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK) are three primary macronutrients that are the building blocks of the global fertilizer industry. Each plays a key role in plant nutrition and promoting crop growth with higher yields.
Let’s take a look at how each macronutrient affects plant growth.
Nutrient | Why it’s needed? | What does it do? | What happens without it? |
---|---|---|---|
Nitrogen (N) | Needed for the formation of all plant and animal proteins. | Nitrogen ensures that energy is available when and where it is needed to maximize yield and regulate water and nutrient uptake. | Nitrogen deficiency in crops causes stunted and spindly plants, low protein content in seed and vegetative parts, and fewer leaves. |
Phosphorus (P) | Vital for plant photosynthesis. | Phosphorus allows plants to convert the sun’s energy into food, fiber, and oil. It improves how efficiently the plant absorbs water and macronutrients such as nitrogen. | Phosphorus deficiency causes stunted growth, reduced crop yields, low quality harvests, and moisture stress. |
Potassium (K) | Essential for robust high quality crops. | Potassium helps regulate water pressure in plant cells and maximizes crop yields by strengthening plant stems to make them more resilient to drought, flooding, and temperature swings. | Potassium deficiency causes a slower growth rate of plants, delayed pollination and maturity, underdeveloped leaves, reduced crop yields, weakened stalks, and moisture stress. |
If crops lack NPK macronutrients, they become vulnerable to various stresses caused by weather conditions, pests, and diseases. Therefore, it is crucial to maintain a balance of all three macronutrients for the production of healthy, high-yielding crops.
The Importance of Fertilizers
Humans identified the importance of using fertilizers, such as manure, to nourish crops dating back to nearly 6,000 to 2,400 BC.
As agriculture became more intensive and large-scale, farmers began to experiment with different types of fertilizers. Today advanced chemical fertilizers are used across the globe to enhance global crop production.
There are a myriad of factors that affect soil type, and so the farmable land must have a healthy balance of all three macronutrients to support high-yielding, healthy crops. Consequently, arable land around the world varies in the amount and type of fertilizer it needs.
Fertilizers play an integral role in strengthening food security, and a supply of locally available fertilizer is needed in supporting global food systems in an ever-growing world.
Brazil is one of the largest exporters of agricultural goods in the world. However, the country is vulnerable as it relies on importing more than 95% of its potash to support crop growth.
Brazil Potash is developing a new potash project in Brazil to ensure a stable domestic source of this nutrient-rich fertilizer critical for global food security.
Click here to learn more about fertilizer and food production in Brazil.

-
Culture1 day ago
Mapped: The World’s Happiest Countries in 2023
Where do the happiest people on earth live? This map is a snapshot of the world’s most (and least) happy countries in 2023.
-
Money5 days ago
The Richest People in the World in 2023
The world’s five richest people are worth a combined $729 billion. From luxury moguls to Asia’s rising titans, we show the richest in 2023.
-
Central Banks6 days ago
Charted: 30 Years of Central Bank Gold Demand
Globally, central banks bought a record 1,136 tonnes of gold in 2022. How has central bank gold demand changed over the last three decades?
-
Money6 days ago
Mapped: Minimum Wage Around the World
This infographic shows the net minimum wage across 67 countries, as of January 2023. A breakdown by U.S. state is also included.
-
Datastream7 days ago
Will Connected Cars Break the Internet?
By 2025, connected cars could produce 10 exabytes (exabyte = 1B gigabytes) of data per month, a thousand-fold increase over current volumes.
-
Economy7 days ago
The Growing Auto Loan Problem Facing Young Americans
After a borrowing spree during COVID-19, younger Americans are struggling to keep up with their auto loan payments.
-
Markets4 weeks ago
Mapped: Unemployment Forecasts, by Country in 2023
-
Energy2 weeks ago
Mapped: Asia’s Biggest Sources of Electricity by Country
-
Money6 days ago
Mapped: Minimum Wage Around the World
-
United States4 weeks ago
Consumer Price Inflation, by Type of Good or Service (2000-2022)
-
Finance2 weeks ago
Ranked: The World’s Most Valuable Bank Brands (2019-2023)
-
Central Banks6 days ago
Charted: 30 Years of Central Bank Gold Demand
-
Markets4 weeks ago
Retail Investors’ Most Popular Stocks of 2023 So Far
-
VC+2 weeks ago
NEW FEATURE: Unlock the VC+ Archive in March