Greenland: Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2024, Greenland's total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e) rose 1.4% on 2023 (from 0.65 to 0.66).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2023), the average change was +34% and a typical year strayed about 186.3% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.2 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 1,019.8% in 2004 and the biggest yearly fall was 19.3% in 2012. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2015 to 2024 the straight-line trend is upward, about 0.01 a year. A straight line explains 79% of the movement over 10 observed years.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2024, Greenland had the 176th highest value of the 203 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Greenland in the 2024 ranking

• Comoros — 173rd of 203: 0.95
• Cabo Verde — 174th of 203: 0.91
• Barbados — 175th of 203: 0.91
• Gibraltar — 177th of 203: 0.66
• Vanuatu — 178th of 203: 0.63
• Solomon Islands — 179th of 203: 0.62

What this measures

A measure of annual emissions of the six greenhouse gases (GHG) covered by the Kyoto Protocol (carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and sulphurhexafluoride (SF6)) from the energy, industry, waste, and agriculture sectors, standardized to carbon dioxide equivalent values. This measure excludes GHG fluxes caused by Land Use Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF), as these fluxes have larger uncertainties. The measure is standardized to carbon dioxide equivalent values using the Global Warming Potential (GWP) factors of IPCC's 5th Assessment Report (AR5).

Limitations: Global GHG emissions are currently not directly measurable, but approaches for their estimation exist, and numerous sources exist to supply data for this indicator. Reputable scientific organizations produce these data for use for research, policy analysis, climate negotiations, and broader public communications. The estimated accuracy from fossil fuel combustion and industrial processes are quite high, as quantities of fossil fuels and other emissive materials (such as cement and steel) produced are well known. For these sectors, emissions estimates are roughly accurate to within 10% when aggregated to the global level and between 4% and 35% at the country level (Crippa et al., 2023).

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a sum.

All 55 values

Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e) in nearby economies

• Albania — 7.12 (2024)
• Armenia — 10.78 (2024)
• Austria — 71 (2024)
• Azerbaijan — 58.28 (2024)
• Belarus — 87.49 (2024)
• Belgium — 107.82 (2024)
• Bosnia and Herzegovina — 27.63 (2024)
• Bulgaria — 46.68 (2024)
• Croatia — 26.84 (2024)

More environment data for Greenland

• Rural population — 6,494 (2025)
• Rural population (% of total population) — 11.43% (2025)
• Urban population — 50,337 (2025)
• Urban population (% of total population) — 88.57% (2025)
• Aquaculture production (metric tons) — 30 (2024)
• Capture fisheries production (metric tons) — 331,285 (2024)
• Total fisheries production (metric tons) — 331,315 (2024)
• Rural population growth (annual %) — -2.21% (2025)
• Urban population growth (annual %) — 0.28% (2025)
• Agricultural land (sq. km) — 2,431 (2024)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is Greenland's total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e)?

0.66 in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1970?

It is up 1,067% from 0.06 in 1970 (4.65% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 0.75 in 2011 and the lowest 0.05 in 1977.

How does Greenland rank?

176th highest of 203 economies with data for 2024.

Is the latest change in total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e) unusual for Greenland?

In 2024, Greenland's total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e) rose 1.4% on 2023 (from 0.65 to 0.66). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2023), the average change was +34% and a typical year strayed about 186.3% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.2 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator EN.GHG.ALL.MT.CE.AR5, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: EDGAR (Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research) Community GHG Database, Joint Research Centre (JRC) - European Commission, uri: https://edgar.jrc.ec.europa.eu/dataset_ghg2024, publisher: JRC European Commission, date published: 2024; International Energy Agency (IEA), uri: https://edgar.j… Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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