China emits more than the next four countries combined

Chart · 10 Nov 2026

Line chart of China’s share of the greenhouse gas emitted by the five biggest emitters (China, the US, India, Brazil and Indonesia), incl. land use, 1990 to 2023. China, in gold, rises to 50.1%, as much as the other four combined; the US falls to 20.7%. Dashed lines mark 2001, China joins the WTO, and 2015, the Paris climate deal.

In 1990 China emitted 3.1bn tonnes of greenhouse gas, less than the US. In 2023 the next four emitters, the US, India, Brazil and Indonesia, added up to 13.1bn, still short of China.

Source: Climate Watch, 2023