Netherlands: Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from Industrial Processes (Mt CO2e)

Key figures

Over five years it is down 7.84% from 1.59 in 2019 (1.62% a year on average, compounded). Since 1970 it is down 80.91% from 7.65 in 1970 (3.02% a year on average, compounded).

What the numbers say

In 2024, Netherlands' nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from Industrial Processes (Mt CO2e) fell 4% on 2023 (from 1.52 to 1.46).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2023), the average change was −1.7% and a typical year strayed about 16.5% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.1 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 31.8% in 2006 and the biggest yearly fall was 76.5% in 2008. 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 downward, about 0.01 a year. A straight line explains 50% 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, Netherlands had the 42nd 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 Netherlands in the 2024 ranking

• Ethiopia — 39th of 203: 1.59
• Slovak Republic — 40th of 203: 1.58
• Central African Republic — 41st of 203: 1.53
• Italy — 43rd of 203: 1.41
• Lithuania — 44th of 203: 1.38
• Yemen, Rep. — 45th of 203: 1.37

What this measures

A measure of annual emissions of nitrous oxide (N2O), one of the six Kyoto greenhouse gases (GHG), from industrial processes including IPCC 2006 codes 2.A.1 Cement production, 2.A.2 Lime production, 2.A.3 Glass Production, 2.A.4 Other Process Uses of Carbonates, 2.B Chemical Industry, 2.C Metal Industry, 2.D Non-Energy Products from Fuels and Solvent Use, 2.E Electronics Industry, 2.F Product Uses as Substitutes for Ozone Depleting Substances, 2.G Other Product Manufacture and Use and 5.A Indirect N2O emissions from the atmospheric deposition of nitrogen in NOx and NH3). 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

Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from Industrial Processes (Mt CO2e) in nearby economies

• Albania — 0.04 (2024)
• Armenia — 0.04 (2024)
• Austria — 0.46 (2024)
• Azerbaijan — 0.17 (2024)
• Belarus — 0.79 (2024)
• Belgium — 4.42 (2024)
• Bosnia and Herzegovina — 0.09 (2024)
• Bulgaria — 0.2 (2024)
• Croatia — 1.06 (2024)
• Cyprus — 0.08 (2024)
• Czechia — 1.01 (2024)
• Denmark — 0.14 (2024)
• Estonia — 0.05 (2024)
• Faroe Islands — 0.0006 (2024)
• Finland — 1.26 (2024)

More environment data for Netherlands

• Population in largest city — 1.19 million (2025)
• Population in the largest city (% of urban population) — 6.85% (2025)
• Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million — 2.22 million (2025)
• Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million (% of total population) — 12.25% (2025)
• Rural population — 734,613 (2025)
• Rural population (% of total population) — 4.06% (2025)
• Urban population — 17.35 million (2025)
• Urban population (% of total population) — 95.94% (2025)
• Aquaculture production (metric tons) — 33,376 (2024)
• Capture fisheries production (metric tons) — 296,838 (2024)
• Total fisheries production (metric tons) — 330,214 (2024)
• Rural population growth (annual %) — -6.58% (2025)
• Urban population growth (annual %) — 0.83% (2025)
• Fertilizer consumption (% of fertilizer production) — 16.41% (2024)
• Fertilizer consumption (kilograms per hectare of arable land) — 269.6 (2024)

Every indicator for Netherlands is on the Netherlands data page.

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Questions people ask

What is Netherlands's nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from Industrial Processes (Mt CO2e)?

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

How has it changed since 1970?

It is down 80.91% from 7.65 in 1970 (3.02% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 9.36 in 1974 and the lowest 1.46 in 2024.

How does Netherlands rank?

42nd highest of 203 economies with data for 2024.

Is the latest change in nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from Industrial Processes (Mt CO2e) unusual for Netherlands?

In 2024, Netherlands' nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from Industrial Processes (Mt CO2e) fell 4% on 2023 (from 1.52 to 1.46). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2023), the average change was −1.7% and a typical year strayed about 16.5% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.1 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Where does this data come from?

The World Bank's World Development Indicators, 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….

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator EN.GHG.N2O.IP.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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