Iraq: Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2024, Iraq's methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e) rose 6.7% on 2023 (from 4.03 to 4.3).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2023), the average change was +0.6% and a typical year strayed about 9.7% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.6 standard deviations above 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 21.6% in 2019 and the biggest yearly fall was 32.6% in 1991. 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 0.08 a year. A straight line explains 45% 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, Iraq had the 94th highest value of the 198 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 Iraq in the 2024 ranking

• Portugal — 91st of 198: 4.92
• Syrian Arab Republic — 92nd of 198: 4.66
• Costa Rica — 93rd of 198: 4.38
• Greece — 95th of 198: 4.1
• Switzerland — 96th of 198: 4.05
• Mozambique — 97th of 198: 3.93

What this measures

A measure of annual emissions of methane (CH4), one of the six Kyoto greenhouse gases (GHG), from the agricultural sector. This includes emissions from livestock (IPCC 2006 codes 3.A.1 (enteric fermentation, 3.a.2 (manure management) and crops (IPCC 2006 codes 3.C.1 Emissions from biomass burning, 3.C.7 Rice cultivations). 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

Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e) in nearby economies

• Afghanistan — 12.48 (2024)
• Algeria — 8.94 (2024)
• Bahrain — 0.03 (2024)
• Djibouti — 0.52 (2024)
• Egypt, Arab Rep. — 13.4 (2024)
• Iran, Islamic Rep. — 23.95 (2024)
• Israel — 2.03 (2024)
• Jordan — 0.76 (2024)
• Kuwait — 0.26 (2024)
• Lebanon — 0.41 (2024)

More environment data for Iraq

• Population in largest city — 8.14 million (2025)
• Population in the largest city (% of urban population) — 24.76% (2025)
• Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million — 11.57 million (2025)
• Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million (% of total population) — 24.61% (2025)
• Rural population — 14.13 million (2025)
• Rural population (% of total population) — 30.06% (2025)
• Urban population — 32.89 million (2025)
• Urban population (% of total population) — 69.94% (2025)
• Aquaculture production (metric tons) — 15,535 (2024)
• Capture fisheries production (metric tons)

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Questions people ask

What is Iraq's methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e)?

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

How has it changed since 1970?

It is down 20.8% from 5.43 in 1970 (0.43% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 5.43 in 1970 and the lowest 2.78 in 1991.

How does Iraq rank?

94th highest of 198 economies with data for 2024.

Is the latest change in methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e) unusual for Iraq?

In 2024, Iraq's methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e) rose 6.7% on 2023 (from 4.03 to 4.3). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2023), the average change was +0.6% and a typical year strayed about 9.7% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.6 standard deviations above 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.CH4.AG.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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