Which countries and industries emit the most greenhouse gases?

What the report says

As world leaders and delegates gather in Antalya, Turkiye, for the COP31 climate summit from November 9 to 20, Al Jazeera’s visual explainer says global greenhouse gas emissions continued to rise in 2025. Citing figures from the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre and the International Energy Agency, it says the world emitted 54.1 billion tonnes of greenhouse gases last year, with carbon dioxide still the dominant gas. The article also notes that warming is linked to more frequent and severe extreme weather, drawing on examples and data from the World Meteorological Organization and the UN.

Al Jazeera reports that the power sector is the largest source of emissions globally, followed by industry and transport. Together, those three sectors account for about two-thirds of global greenhouse gases. The remaining share comes from agriculture, fuel extraction, buildings and waste. The piece says emissions have more than doubled since 1970 and have only temporarily dipped during a few major economic shocks and the COVID-19 pandemic.

On countries, the article says China was the biggest annual emitter in 2025, followed by the United States and India. It adds that the EU, Russia, Indonesia, Brazil and Iran also rank among the larger emitters. Over a longer historical period, however, the US has produced the most cumulative CO2 since the mid-18th century, ahead of China. The report uses that contrast to show why current annual emissions and historical responsibility remain central issues in climate negotiations.