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World total CO2 emissions


Since 1751, roughly 315 billion tonnes (metric tons) of carbon have been released to the atmosphere from the consumption of fossil fuels and cement production. (1)

  • Half of these emissions have occurred since the mid 1970s
  • The 2004 global fossil-fuel CO2 emission estimate of 7,910 million tonnes of carbon is an all-time high
  • The 2004 number is a 5.4% increase over 2003


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NOTE: This chart shows carbon emissions, not CO2. The atomic weight of carbon is 12 and oxygen is 16. Therefore, the atomic weight of carbon dioxide is 44. Based on that ratio, and assuming complete combustion, 1 kilo of carbon combines with 2.667 kilos of oxygen to produce 3.667 kilos of carbon dioxide. (2)