posts: 25268
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| 25268 | How do CO2 emissions compare when we adjust for trade? | consumption-based-co2 | post | publish | <!-- wp:html --> <div class="blog-info">Our World in Data presents the empirical evidence on global development in entries dedicated to specific topics.<br>This blog post draws on data and research discussed in our entry on <strong><a href="https://owid.cloud/co2-and-other-greenhouse-gas-emissions" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">CO<sub>2</sub> and Greenhouse Gas Emissions</a></strong>.</div> <!-- /wp:html --> <!-- wp-block-tombstone 25273 --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>CO<sub>2</sub> emissions are typically measured on the basis of ‘production’. This accounting method – which is sometimes referred to as ‘territorial’ emissions – is used when countries report their emissions, and set targets domestically and internationally.{ref}The Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) guidelines on national emissions accounting and reporting are written on the basis of production-based, rather than consumption-based emissions. These are the standards adopted internationally for emissions reporting.<br><br>Eggleston, S., Buendia, L., Miwa, K., Ngara, T., & Tanabe, K. (Eds.). (2006). <a href="https://www.osti.gov/etdeweb/biblio/20880391"><em>2006 IPCC guidelines for national greenhouse gas inventories</em></a> (Vol. 5). Hayama, Japan: Institute for Global Environmental Strategies.{/ref}</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In addition to the commonly reported production-based emissions statisticians also calculate ‘consumption-based’ emissions. These emissions are adjusted for <a href="https://ourworldindata.org/trade-and-globalization">trade</a>. To calculate consumption-based emissions we need to track which goods are traded across the world, and whenever a good was imported we need to include all CO<sub>2</sub> emissions that were emitted in the production of that good, and vice versa to subtract all CO<sub>2</sub> emissions that were emitted in the production of goods that were exported.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Consumption-based emissions reflect the consumption and lifestyle choices of a country’s citizens.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4>Which countries in the world are net importers of emissions and which are net exporters?</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In the interactive map we see the emissions of traded goods. To give a perspective on the importance of trade these emissions are put in relation to the country’s domestic, production-based emissions.{ref}These figures have been calculated by Our World in Data based on data on consumption-based emissions and emissions transfers published by the updated work of Peters et al. (2012) and the Global Carbon Project (referenced below). To calculate net emissions transfers, the authors look at the difference between CO<sub>2</sub> embedded in imported and exported goods: the net transfers is the difference between the two.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Data is sourced from the Global Carbon Budget (2018): <a href="https://www.globalcarbonproject.org/carbonbudget/18/data.htm">https://www.globalcarbonproject.org/carbonbudget/18/data.htm</a>. This presents territorial emissions data in addition to consumption-based and emissions transfers. Consumption-based and emissions transfer estimates are produced by the updated paper by Peters et al. (2011).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>(Updated to 2014) Peters, GP, Minx, JC, Weber, CL and Edenhofer, O 2011. Growth in emission transfers via international trade from 1990 to 2008. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 108, 8903-8908. Available <a href="http://www.biogeosciences.net/9/3247/2012/bg-9-3247-2012.html">online</a>. {/ref}</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><li>Countries shown in red are net importers of emissions – they import more CO<sub>2</sub> embedded in goods than they export. <br><br>For example, the USA has a value of 7.7% meaning its net import of CO<sub>2</sub> is equivalent to 7.7% of its domestic emissions. This means emissions calculated on the basis of ‘consumption’ are 7.7% higher than their emissions based on production.</li></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><li>Countries shown in blue are net exporters of emissions – they export more CO<sub>2</sub> embedded in goods than they import. <br><br>For example, China’s value of -14% means its net export of CO<sub>2</sub> is equivalent to 14% of its domestic emissions. The consumption-based emissions of China are 14% lower than their production-based emissions.</li></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We see quite a regional East-West split in net exporters and importers: most of Western Europe, the Americas, and many African countries are net importers of emissions whilst most of Eastern Europe and Asia are net exporters. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>You can find these figures in absolute (tonnes of CO<sub>2</sub>) and per capita terms for each country in the <a href="http://ourworldindata.org/consumption-based-co2#additional-information">Additional Information</a> section.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:html --> <iframe src="https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/co-emissions-in-imported-goods-as-a-share-of-domestic-emissions" style="width: 100%; height: 600px; border: 0px none;"></iframe> <!-- /wp:html --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4>How do consumption-based emissions compare to production-based emissions?</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>How did the differences between a country’s production and consumption-based emissions change over time?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In the interactive charts you can compare production- and consumption-based emissions for many countries and world regions since the first data is available in 1990.{ref}Data is only available for 119 countries. It is not available for the remaining countries due to poor data availability on bilateral trade, and emissions inventories broken down by specific sectors – this data is essential for the input-output modelling process used to calculate consumption-based emissions. For more information, see: Peters, GP, Minx, JC, Weber, CL and Edenhofer, O 2011 (updated). Growth in emission transfers via international trade from 1990 to 2008. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 108, 8903-8908.{/ref} One chart shows total annual emissions, the other one shows the same on a per capita basis. Using the ‘change country’ toggle of the chart you can switch between them. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Individual maps of consumption-based annual and per capita emissions can also be found in the <a href="http://ourworldindata.org/consumption-based-co2#additional-information">Additional Information</a> which follows this post.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We see that the consumption-based emissions of the US are higher than production: In 2016 the two values were 5.7 billion versus 5.3 billion tonnes – a difference of <a href="https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/co-emissions-in-imported-goods-as-a-share-of-domestic-emissions">8%</a>. This tells us that more CO<sub>2</sub> is emitted in the production of the goods that Americans import than in those products Americans export.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The opposite is true for China: its consumption-based emissions <a href="https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/co-emissions-in-imported-goods-as-a-share-of-domestic-emissions">are 14% lower</a> than its production-based emissions. On a per capita basis, the respective measures are 6.9 and 6.2 tonnes per person in 2016. A difference, but smaller than what many expect. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Whilst China is a large CO<sub>2</sub> emissions exporter, it is no longer a large emitter <em>because</em> it produces goods for the rest of the world. This was the case in the past, but today, even adjusted for trade, China now has a per capita footprint <a href="https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/consumption-co2-per-capita-equity">higher than</a> the global average (which is 4.8 tonnes per capita in 2017). In the <a href="http://ourworldindata.org/consumption-based-co2#additional-information">Additional Information</a> you find an interactive map of how consumption-based emissions per capita vary across the world.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>These comparisons provide the answer to the question whether countries have only achieved emissions reductions by offshoring emissions intensive production to other countries. If only production-based emissions were falling whilst consumption-based emissions were rising, this would suggest it was ‘offshoring’ emissions elsewhere.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There are some countries where this is the case. Examples where production-based emissions have stagnated whilst consumption-based CO<sub>2</sub> steadily increased include Ireland <a href="https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/production-vs-consumption-co2-emissions?country=IRL">in the early 2000s</a>; Norway <a href="https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/production-vs-consumption-co2-emissions?country=NOR">in the late 1990s</a> and early 2000s; and Switzerland <a href="https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/production-vs-consumption-co2-emissions?country=CHE">since 1990</a>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>On the other hand there are several very rich countries where both production- <em>and</em> consumption-based emissions have declined. This has been true, among others, for the UK (<a href="https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/prod-cons-co2-per-capita?country=GBR">chart</a>), France (<a href="https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/prod-cons-co2-per-capita?country=FRA">chart</a>), Germany (<a href="https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/prod-cons-co2-per-capita?country=DEU">chart</a>), and the USA (<a href="https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/prod-cons-co2-per-capita?country=USA">chart</a>). These countries have achieved some genuine reductions without outsourcing the emissions to other countries. Emissions are still too high in all of these countries, but it shows that genuine reductions are possible.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In most countries emissions increased when countries <a href="https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/co-emissions-per-capita-vs-gdp-per-capita-international-">become richer</a>, but this is also not necessarily the case: by comparing the change in consumption-based emissions and economic growth we see that <a href="https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/consumption-co2-per-capita-vs-gdppc?endpointsOnly=1&time=1990..2016&country=BGR+CYP+CZE+DNK+EST+FIN+FRA+DEU+GRC+HUN+ITA+LVA+LTU+NLD+POL+PRT+ROU+RUS+SVK+ESP+SWE+GBR+USA+CAN+BHR">many countries</a> have become much richer while achieving a reduction of emissions. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:html --> <iframe src="https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/production-vs-consumption-co2-emissions" style="width: 100%; height: 600px; border: 0px none;"></iframe> <!-- /wp:html --> <!-- wp:html --> <iframe src="https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/prod-cons-co2-per-capita" style="width: 100%; height: 600px; border: 0px none;"></iframe> <!-- /wp:html --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator"/> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:owid/additional-information --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3>In-depth: how much emissions are embedded in trade?</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:columns {"className":"is-style-sticky-right"} --> <div class="wp-block-columns is-style-sticky-right"><!-- wp:column --> <div class="wp-block-column"><!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4>Absolute emissions imported or exported by country</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In the interactive map you see each country’s net imports or exports of CO<sub>2</sub> each year, as measured in tonnes of CO<sub>2</sub>.<br><br>Countries which are net importers are shown in red (and given as positive values), with net exporters shown in blue (given as negative values).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --></div> <!-- /wp:column --> <!-- wp:column --> <div class="wp-block-column"><!-- wp:html --> <iframe src="https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/co-emissions-embedded-in-global-trade" style="width: 100%; height: 600px; border: 0px none;"></iframe> <!-- /wp:html --></div> <!-- /wp:column --></div> <!-- /wp:columns --> <!-- wp:columns --> <div class="wp-block-columns"><!-- wp:column --> <div class="wp-block-column"><!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4>Per capita emissions imported or exported by country</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In the interactive map you see each country’s net imports or exports of CO<sub>2</sub> <em>per capita</em>, measured in tonnes of CO<sub>2</sub> per person per year.<br><br>Countries which are net importers are shown in red (and given as positive values), with net exporters shown in blue (given as negative values).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --></div> <!-- /wp:column --> <!-- wp:column --> <div class="wp-block-column"><!-- wp:html --> <iframe src="https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/imported-or-exported-co-emissions-per-capita" style="width: 100%; height: 600px; border: 0px none;"></iframe> <!-- /wp:html --></div> <!-- /wp:column --></div> <!-- /wp:columns --> <!-- wp:columns --> <div class="wp-block-columns"><!-- wp:column --> <div class="wp-block-column"><!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4>Consumption-based CO<sub>2</sub> emissions by country</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In the interactive map we see how consumption-based CO<sub>2</sub> emissions vary across the world.{ref} Note here that due to data quality and availability, figures on trade and consumption-based emissions are not available for all countries.<br><br>Data is sourced from the Global Carbon Budget (2018): <a href="https://www.globalcarbonproject.org/carbonbudget/18/data.htm">https://www.globalcarbonproject.org/carbonbudget/18/data.htm</a>. This presents territorial emissions data in addition to consumption-based and emissions transfers. Consumption-based and emissions transfer estimates are produced by the updated paper by Peters et al. (2011).<br><br>(Updated to 2014) Peters, GP, Minx, JC, Weber, CL and Edenhofer, O 2011. Growth in emission transfers via international trade from 1990 to 2008. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 108, 8903-8908. Available <a href="http://www.biogeosciences.net/9/3247/2012/bg-9-3247-2012.html">online</a>.{/ref}</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --></div> <!-- /wp:column --> <!-- wp:column --> <div class="wp-block-column"><!-- wp:html --> <iframe src="https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/consumption-co2-emissions" style="width: 100%; height: 600px; border: 0px none;"></iframe> <!-- /wp:html --></div> <!-- /wp:column --></div> <!-- /wp:columns --> <!-- wp:columns --> <div class="wp-block-columns"><!-- wp:column --> <div class="wp-block-column"><!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4>Consumption-based CO<sub>2</sub> emissions per capita</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In the visualization we show how consumption-based emissions corrected for <a href="https://ourworldindata.org/world-population-growth">population</a> size – emissions per capita – varies across the world.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --></div> <!-- /wp:column --> <!-- wp:column --> <div class="wp-block-column"><!-- wp:html --> <iframe src="https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/consumption-co2-per-capita" style="width: 100%; height: 600px; border: 0px none;"></iframe> <!-- /wp:html --></div> <!-- /wp:column --></div> <!-- /wp:columns --> <!-- /wp:owid/additional-information --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> | {
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2019-10-07 05:00:27 | 2024-02-16 14:22:49 | 1HUY1WRAmrT5m3YrdiBvuQ-MQA52f5NWpTmua1GSuRcM | [
"Hannah Ritchie"
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CO2 emissions are typically measured in terms of 'production'. But how do emissions compare when we adjust for trade? Which countries export the most CO2 and which offshore their emissions? | 2019-10-05 09:51:28 | 2022-02-14 17:42:01 | https://ourworldindata.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/production-vs-consumption-co2-emissions-3.png | {} |
Our World in Data presents the empirical evidence on global development in entries dedicated to specific topics. This blog post draws on data and research discussed in our entry on **[CO2 and Greenhouse Gas Emissions](https://owid.cloud/co2-and-other-greenhouse-gas-emissions)** . CO2 emissions are typically measured on the basis of ‘production’. This accounting method – which is sometimes referred to as ‘territorial’ emissions – is used when countries report their emissions, and set targets domestically and internationally.{ref}The Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) guidelines on national emissions accounting and reporting are written on the basis of production-based, rather than consumption-based emissions. These are the standards adopted internationally for emissions reporting. Eggleston, S., Buendia, L., Miwa, K., Ngara, T., & Tanabe, K. (Eds.). (2006). [_2006 IPCC guidelines for national greenhouse gas inventories_](https://www.osti.gov/etdeweb/biblio/20880391) (Vol. 5). Hayama, Japan: Institute for Global Environmental Strategies.{/ref} In addition to the commonly reported production-based emissions statisticians also calculate ‘consumption-based’ emissions. These emissions are adjusted for [trade](https://ourworldindata.org/trade-and-globalization). To calculate consumption-based emissions we need to track which goods are traded across the world, and whenever a good was imported we need to include all CO2 emissions that were emitted in the production of that good, and vice versa to subtract all CO2 emissions that were emitted in the production of goods that were exported. Consumption-based emissions reflect the consumption and lifestyle choices of a country’s citizens. ## Which countries in the world are net importers of emissions and which are net exporters? In the interactive map we see the emissions of traded goods. To give a perspective on the importance of trade these emissions are put in relation to the country’s domestic, production-based emissions.{ref}These figures have been calculated by Our World in Data based on data on consumption-based emissions and emissions transfers published by the updated work of Peters et al. (2012) and the Global Carbon Project (referenced below). To calculate net emissions transfers, the authors look at the difference between CO2 embedded in imported and exported goods: the net transfers is the difference between the two. Data is sourced from the Global Carbon Budget (2018): [https://www.globalcarbonproject.org/carbonbudget/18/data.htm](https://www.globalcarbonproject.org/carbonbudget/18/data.htm). This presents territorial emissions data in addition to consumption-based and emissions transfers. Consumption-based and emissions transfer estimates are produced by the updated paper by Peters et al. (2011). (Updated to 2014) Peters, GP, Minx, JC, Weber, CL and Edenhofer, O 2011. Growth in emission transfers via international trade from 1990 to 2008. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 108, 8903-8908. Available [online](http://www.biogeosciences.net/9/3247/2012/bg-9-3247-2012.html). {/ref} * Countries shown in red are net importers of emissions – they import more CO2 embedded in goods than they export. For example, the USA has a value of 7.7% meaning its net import of CO2 is equivalent to 7.7% of its domestic emissions. This means emissions calculated on the basis of ‘consumption’ are 7.7% higher than their emissions based on production. * Countries shown in blue are net exporters of emissions – they export more CO2 embedded in goods than they import. For example, China’s value of -14% means its net export of CO2 is equivalent to 14% of its domestic emissions. The consumption-based emissions of China are 14% lower than their production-based emissions. We see quite a regional East-West split in net exporters and importers: most of Western Europe, the Americas, and many African countries are net importers of emissions whilst most of Eastern Europe and Asia are net exporters. You can find these figures in absolute (tonnes of CO2) and per capita terms for each country in the [Additional Information](http://ourworldindata.org/consumption-based-co2#additional-information) section. <Chart url="https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/co-emissions-in-imported-goods-as-a-share-of-domestic-emissions"/> ## How do consumption-based emissions compare to production-based emissions? How did the differences between a country’s production and consumption-based emissions change over time? In the interactive charts you can compare production- and consumption-based emissions for many countries and world regions since the first data is available in 1990.{ref}Data is only available for 119 countries. It is not available for the remaining countries due to poor data availability on bilateral trade, and emissions inventories broken down by specific sectors – this data is essential for the input-output modelling process used to calculate consumption-based emissions. For more information, see: Peters, GP, Minx, JC, Weber, CL and Edenhofer, O 2011 (updated). Growth in emission transfers via international trade from 1990 to 2008. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 108, 8903-8908.{/ref} One chart shows total annual emissions, the other one shows the same on a per capita basis. Using the ‘change country’ toggle of the chart you can switch between them. Individual maps of consumption-based annual and per capita emissions can also be found in the [Additional Information](http://ourworldindata.org/consumption-based-co2#additional-information) which follows this post. We see that the consumption-based emissions of the US are higher than production: In 2016 the two values were 5.7 billion versus 5.3 billion tonnes – a difference of [8%](https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/co-emissions-in-imported-goods-as-a-share-of-domestic-emissions). This tells us that more CO2 is emitted in the production of the goods that Americans import than in those products Americans export. The opposite is true for China: its consumption-based emissions [are 14% lower](https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/co-emissions-in-imported-goods-as-a-share-of-domestic-emissions) than its production-based emissions. On a per capita basis, the respective measures are 6.9 and 6.2 tonnes per person in 2016. A difference, but smaller than what many expect. Whilst China is a large CO2 emissions exporter, it is no longer a large emitter _because_ it produces goods for the rest of the world. This was the case in the past, but today, even adjusted for trade, China now has a per capita footprint [higher than](https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/consumption-co2-per-capita-equity) the global average (which is 4.8 tonnes per capita in 2017). In the [Additional Information](http://ourworldindata.org/consumption-based-co2#additional-information) you find an interactive map of how consumption-based emissions per capita vary across the world. These comparisons provide the answer to the question whether countries have only achieved emissions reductions by offshoring emissions intensive production to other countries. If only production-based emissions were falling whilst consumption-based emissions were rising, this would suggest it was ‘offshoring’ emissions elsewhere. There are some countries where this is the case. Examples where production-based emissions have stagnated whilst consumption-based CO2 steadily increased include Ireland [in the early 2000s](https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/production-vs-consumption-co2-emissions?country=IRL); Norway [in the late 1990s](https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/production-vs-consumption-co2-emissions?country=NOR) and early 2000s; and Switzerland [since 1990](https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/production-vs-consumption-co2-emissions?country=CHE). On the other hand there are several very rich countries where both production- _and_ consumption-based emissions have declined. This has been true, among others, for the UK ([chart](https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/prod-cons-co2-per-capita?country=GBR)), France ([chart](https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/prod-cons-co2-per-capita?country=FRA)), Germany ([chart](https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/prod-cons-co2-per-capita?country=DEU)), and the USA ([chart](https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/prod-cons-co2-per-capita?country=USA)). These countries have achieved some genuine reductions without outsourcing the emissions to other countries. Emissions are still too high in all of these countries, but it shows that genuine reductions are possible. In most countries emissions increased when countries [become richer](https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/co-emissions-per-capita-vs-gdp-per-capita-international-), but this is also not necessarily the case: by comparing the change in consumption-based emissions and economic growth we see that [many countries](https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/consumption-co2-per-capita-vs-gdppc?endpointsOnly=1&time=1990..2016&country=BGR+CYP+CZE+DNK+EST+FIN+FRA+DEU+GRC+HUN+ITA+LVA+LTU+NLD+POL+PRT+ROU+RUS+SVK+ESP+SWE+GBR+USA+CAN+BHR) have become much richer while achieving a reduction of emissions. <Chart url="https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/production-vs-consumption-co2-emissions"/> <Chart url="https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/prod-cons-co2-per-capita"/> ## Additional information #### Absolute emissions imported or exported by country In the interactive map you see each country’s net imports or exports of CO2 each year, as measured in tonnes of CO2. Countries which are net importers are shown in red (and given as positive values), with net exporters shown in blue (given as negative values). <Chart url="https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/co-emissions-embedded-in-global-trade"/> #### Per capita emissions imported or exported by country In the interactive map you see each country’s net imports or exports of CO2_per capita_, measured in tonnes of CO2 per person per year. Countries which are net importers are shown in red (and given as positive values), with net exporters shown in blue (given as negative values). <Chart url="https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/imported-or-exported-co-emissions-per-capita"/> #### Consumption-based CO2 emissions by country In the interactive map we see how consumption-based CO2 emissions vary across the world.{ref} Note here that due to data quality and availability, figures on trade and consumption-based emissions are not available for all countries. Data is sourced from the Global Carbon Budget (2018): [https://www.globalcarbonproject.org/carbonbudget/18/data.htm](https://www.globalcarbonproject.org/carbonbudget/18/data.htm). This presents territorial emissions data in addition to consumption-based and emissions transfers. Consumption-based and emissions transfer estimates are produced by the updated paper by Peters et al. (2011). (Updated to 2014) Peters, GP, Minx, JC, Weber, CL and Edenhofer, O 2011. Growth in emission transfers via international trade from 1990 to 2008. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 108, 8903-8908. Available [online](http://www.biogeosciences.net/9/3247/2012/bg-9-3247-2012.html).{/ref} <Chart url="https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/consumption-co2-emissions"/> #### Consumption-based CO2 emissions per capita In the visualization we show how consumption-based emissions corrected for [population](https://ourworldindata.org/world-population-growth) size – emissions per capita – varies across the world. <Chart url="https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/consumption-co2-per-capita"/> | {
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"rendered": "\n<div class=\"blog-info\">Our World in Data presents the empirical evidence on global development in entries dedicated to specific topics.<br>This blog post draws on data and research discussed in our entry on <strong><a href=\"https://owid.cloud/co2-and-other-greenhouse-gas-emissions\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">CO<sub>2</sub> and Greenhouse Gas Emissions</a></strong>.</div>\n\n\n\n<p>CO<sub>2</sub> emissions are typically measured on the basis of \u2018production\u2019. This accounting method \u2013 which is sometimes referred to as \u2018territorial\u2019 emissions \u2013 is used when countries report their emissions, and set targets domestically and internationally.{ref}The Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) guidelines on national emissions accounting and reporting are written on the basis of production-based, rather than consumption-based emissions. These are the standards adopted internationally for emissions reporting.<br><br>Eggleston, S., Buendia, L., Miwa, K., Ngara, T., & Tanabe, K. (Eds.). (2006). <a href=\"https://www.osti.gov/etdeweb/biblio/20880391\"><em>2006 IPCC guidelines for national greenhouse gas inventories</em></a> (Vol. 5). Hayama, Japan: Institute for Global Environmental Strategies.{/ref}</p>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition to the commonly reported production-based emissions statisticians also calculate \u2018consumption-based\u2019 emissions. These emissions are adjusted for <a href=\"https://ourworldindata.org/trade-and-globalization\">trade</a>. To calculate consumption-based emissions we need to track which goods are traded across the world, and whenever a good was imported we need to include all CO<sub>2</sub> emissions that were emitted in the production of that good, and vice versa to subtract all CO<sub>2</sub> emissions that were emitted in the production of goods that were exported.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Consumption-based emissions reflect the consumption and lifestyle choices of a country\u2019s citizens.</p>\n\n\n\n<h4>Which countries in the world are net importers of emissions and which are net exporters?</h4>\n\n\n\n<p>In the interactive map we see the emissions of traded goods. To give a perspective on the importance of trade these emissions are put in relation to the country\u2019s domestic, production-based emissions.{ref}These figures have been calculated by Our World in Data based on data on consumption-based emissions and emissions transfers published by the updated work of Peters et al. (2012) and the Global Carbon Project (referenced below). To calculate net emissions transfers, the authors look at the difference between CO<sub>2</sub> embedded in imported and exported goods: the net transfers is the difference between the two.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Data is sourced from the Global Carbon Budget (2018): <a href=\"https://www.globalcarbonproject.org/carbonbudget/18/data.htm\">https://www.globalcarbonproject.org/carbonbudget/18/data.htm</a>. This presents territorial emissions data in addition to consumption-based and emissions transfers. Consumption-based and emissions transfer estimates are produced by the updated paper by Peters et al. (2011).</p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Updated to 2014) Peters, GP, Minx, JC, Weber, CL and Edenhofer, O 2011. Growth in emission transfers via international trade from 1990 to 2008. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 108, 8903-8908. Available <a href=\"http://www.biogeosciences.net/9/3247/2012/bg-9-3247-2012.html\">online</a>. {/ref}</p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Countries shown in red are net importers of emissions \u2013 they import more CO<sub>2</sub> embedded in goods than they export. <br><br>For example, the USA has a value of 7.7% meaning its net import of CO<sub>2</sub> is equivalent to 7.7% of its domestic emissions. This means emissions calculated on the basis of \u2018consumption\u2019 are 7.7% higher than their emissions based on production.</li></ul>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Countries shown in blue are net exporters of emissions \u2013 they export more CO<sub>2</sub> embedded in goods than they import. <br><br>For example, China\u2019s value of -14% means its net export of CO<sub>2</sub> is equivalent to 14% of its domestic emissions. The consumption-based emissions of China are 14% lower than their production-based emissions.</li></ul>\n\n\n\n<p>We see quite a regional East-West split in net exporters and importers: most of Western Europe, the Americas, and many African countries are net importers of emissions whilst most of Eastern Europe and Asia are net exporters. </p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can find these figures in absolute (tonnes of CO<sub>2</sub>) and per capita terms for each country in the <a href=\"http://ourworldindata.org/consumption-based-co2#additional-information\">Additional Information</a> section.</p>\n\n\n\n<iframe src=\"https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/co-emissions-in-imported-goods-as-a-share-of-domestic-emissions\" style=\"width: 100%; height: 600px; border: 0px none;\"></iframe>\n\n\n\n<h4>How do consumption-based emissions compare to production-based emissions?</h4>\n\n\n\n<p>How did the differences between a country\u2019s production and consumption-based emissions change over time?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the interactive charts you can compare production- and consumption-based emissions for many countries and world regions since the first data is available in 1990.{ref}Data is only available for 119 countries. It is not available for the remaining countries due to poor data availability on bilateral trade, and emissions inventories broken down by specific sectors \u2013 this data is essential for the input-output modelling process used to calculate consumption-based emissions. For more information, see: Peters, GP, Minx, JC, Weber, CL and Edenhofer, O 2011 (updated). Growth in emission transfers via international trade from 1990 to 2008. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 108, 8903-8908.{/ref} One chart shows total annual emissions, the other one shows the same on a per capita basis. Using the \u2018change country\u2019 toggle of the chart you can switch between them. </p>\n\n\n\n<p>Individual maps of consumption-based annual and per capita emissions can also be found in the <a href=\"http://ourworldindata.org/consumption-based-co2#additional-information\">Additional Information</a> which follows this post.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>We see that the consumption-based emissions of the US are higher than production: In 2016 the two values were 5.7 billion versus 5.3 billion tonnes \u2013 a difference of <a href=\"https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/co-emissions-in-imported-goods-as-a-share-of-domestic-emissions\">8%</a>. This tells us that more CO<sub>2</sub> is emitted in the production of the goods that Americans import than in those products Americans export.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>The opposite is true for China: its consumption-based emissions <a href=\"https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/co-emissions-in-imported-goods-as-a-share-of-domestic-emissions\">are 14% lower</a> than its production-based emissions. On a per capita basis, the respective measures are 6.9 and 6.2 tonnes per person in 2016. A difference, but smaller than what many expect. </p>\n\n\n\n<p>Whilst China is a large CO<sub>2</sub> emissions exporter, it is no longer a large emitter <em>because</em> it produces goods for the rest of the world. This was the case in the past, but today, even adjusted for trade, China now has a per capita footprint <a href=\"https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/consumption-co2-per-capita-equity\">higher than</a> the global average (which is 4.8 tonnes per capita in 2017). In the <a href=\"http://ourworldindata.org/consumption-based-co2#additional-information\">Additional Information</a> you find an interactive map of how consumption-based emissions per capita vary across the world.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>These comparisons provide the answer to the question whether countries have only achieved emissions reductions by offshoring emissions intensive production to other countries. If only production-based emissions were falling whilst consumption-based emissions were rising, this would suggest it was \u2018offshoring\u2019 emissions elsewhere.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are some countries where this is the case. Examples where production-based emissions have stagnated whilst consumption-based CO<sub>2</sub> steadily increased include Ireland <a href=\"https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/production-vs-consumption-co2-emissions?country=IRL\">in the early 2000s</a>; Norway <a href=\"https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/production-vs-consumption-co2-emissions?country=NOR\">in the late 1990s</a> and early 2000s; and Switzerland <a href=\"https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/production-vs-consumption-co2-emissions?country=CHE\">since 1990</a>.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>On the other hand there are several very rich countries where both production- <em>and</em> consumption-based emissions have declined. This has been true, among others, for the UK (<a href=\"https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/prod-cons-co2-per-capita?country=GBR\">chart</a>), France (<a href=\"https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/prod-cons-co2-per-capita?country=FRA\">chart</a>), Germany (<a href=\"https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/prod-cons-co2-per-capita?country=DEU\">chart</a>), and the USA (<a href=\"https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/prod-cons-co2-per-capita?country=USA\">chart</a>). These countries have achieved some genuine reductions without outsourcing the emissions to other countries. Emissions are still too high in all of these countries, but it shows that genuine reductions are possible.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>In most countries emissions increased when countries <a href=\"https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/co-emissions-per-capita-vs-gdp-per-capita-international-\">become richer</a>, but this is also not necessarily the case: by comparing the change in consumption-based emissions and economic growth we see that <a href=\"https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/consumption-co2-per-capita-vs-gdppc?endpointsOnly=1&time=1990..2016&country=BGR+CYP+CZE+DNK+EST+FIN+FRA+DEU+GRC+HUN+ITA+LVA+LTU+NLD+POL+PRT+ROU+RUS+SVK+ESP+SWE+GBR+USA+CAN+BHR\">many countries</a> have become much richer while achieving a reduction of emissions. </p>\n\n\n\n<iframe src=\"https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/production-vs-consumption-co2-emissions\" style=\"width: 100%; height: 600px; border: 0px none;\"></iframe>\n\n\n\n<iframe src=\"https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/prod-cons-co2-per-capita\" style=\"width: 100%; height: 600px; border: 0px none;\"></iframe>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"/>\n\n\n\t<block type=\"additional-information\" default-open=\"false\">\n\t\t<content>\n\n<h3>In-depth: how much emissions are embedded in trade?</h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-style-sticky-right\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column\">\n<h4>Absolute emissions imported or exported by country</h4>\n\n\n\n<p>In the interactive map you see each country\u2019s net imports or exports of CO<sub>2</sub> each year, as measured in tonnes of CO<sub>2</sub>.<br><br>Countries which are net importers are shown in red (and given as positive values), with net exporters shown in blue (given as negative values).</p>\n</div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column\">\n<iframe src=\"https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/co-emissions-embedded-in-global-trade\" style=\"width: 100%; height: 600px; border: 0px none;\"></iframe>\n</div>\n</div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column\">\n<h4>Per capita emissions imported or exported by country</h4>\n\n\n\n<p>In the interactive map you see each country\u2019s net imports or exports of CO<sub>2</sub> <em>per capita</em>, measured in tonnes of CO<sub>2</sub> per person per year.<br><br>Countries which are net importers are shown in red (and given as positive values), with net exporters shown in blue (given as negative values).</p>\n</div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column\">\n<iframe src=\"https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/imported-or-exported-co-emissions-per-capita\" style=\"width: 100%; height: 600px; border: 0px none;\"></iframe>\n</div>\n</div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column\">\n<h4>Consumption-based CO<sub>2</sub> emissions by country</h4>\n\n\n\n<p>In the interactive map we see how consumption-based CO<sub>2</sub> emissions vary across the world.{ref} Note here that due to data quality and availability, figures on trade and consumption-based emissions are not available for all countries.<br><br>Data is sourced from the Global Carbon Budget (2018): <a href=\"https://www.globalcarbonproject.org/carbonbudget/18/data.htm\">https://www.globalcarbonproject.org/carbonbudget/18/data.htm</a>. This presents territorial emissions data in addition to consumption-based and emissions transfers. Consumption-based and emissions transfer estimates are produced by the updated paper by Peters et al. (2011).<br><br>(Updated to 2014) Peters, GP, Minx, JC, Weber, CL and Edenhofer, O 2011. Growth in emission transfers via international trade from 1990 to 2008. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 108, 8903-8908. Available <a href=\"http://www.biogeosciences.net/9/3247/2012/bg-9-3247-2012.html\">online</a>.{/ref}</p>\n</div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column\">\n<iframe src=\"https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/consumption-co2-emissions\" style=\"width: 100%; height: 600px; border: 0px none;\"></iframe>\n</div>\n</div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column\">\n<h4>Consumption-based CO<sub>2</sub> emissions per capita</h4>\n\n\n\n<p>In the visualization we show how consumption-based emissions corrected for <a href=\"https://ourworldindata.org/world-population-growth\">population</a> size \u2013 emissions per capita \u2013 varies across the world.</p>\n</div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column\">\n<iframe src=\"https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/consumption-co2-per-capita\" style=\"width: 100%; height: 600px; border: 0px none;\"></iframe>\n</div>\n</div>\n\n</content>\n\t</block>\n\n\n<p></p>\n",
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"rendered": "CO2 emissions are typically measured in terms of ‘production’. But how do emissions compare when we adjust for trade? Which countries export the most CO2 and which offshore their emissions?",
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