This data-file breaks down 50GTpa of global CO2 emissions into 40 distinct categories, based on prior publications, our own models and calculations. There are 40 different sectors that each explain more than 0.5% of the world’s CO2, and even this is simplifying a lot of complexity.
The long tail illustrates the complexity of decarbonisation. The largest single component of global emissions is deforestation, at 12% of the total, followed by passenger vehicles, also at 12%.
A further 30 line-items all account for at least 1% of the world’s total emissions including electricity, heating, cement, metals, plastics, food, fertilizers, paper, manufacturing, livestock, agriculture, military, oil refining, fossil fuel production and landfill.
The data-file contains our backup workings, and further data placing global CO2 emissions (in million tons per annum) in context with 25 other production industries globally.
The CO2 intensity of different materials was previously aggregated in this data-file, but as our list of covered materials has progressively grown larger and larger, we are now tracking the CO2 intensity of materials in a separate data-file here.