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Climate and Environment

Chinese greenhouse gas emissions now larger than those of developed countries combined

China now accounts for 27 percent of global emissions, while the U.S. accounts for 11 percent

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May 6, 2021 at 6:00 a.m. EDT
Smoke billows from a steel factory on Nov. 19, 2015, in the industrial province of Hebei, China. China’s government has set 2030 as a deadline for the country to reach its peak for emissions of carbon dioxide, which scientists and environmentalists cite as the primary cause of climate change. (Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)

China’s greenhouse gas emissions in 2019 surpassed those of the United States and the developed world combined, according to an analysis published Thursday by the research firm Rhodium Group.

China’s share of global emissions rose to 27 percent of the world’s total, while the United States remained the second-largest emitter at 11 percent. India’s share came third at 6.6 percent, edging out the 27 nations in the European Union, which accounted for 6.4 percent, the report found.