Home / Comparisons / China vs Netherlands CO2 per capita
China vs Netherlands CO2 per capita
China overtook Netherlands in 2020. In 1970 Netherlands stood at roughly 924% of China’s CO2 per capita; today the figure is about 71%, and the pair was closest in 2020 (96%).
| Year | China | Netherlands | Netherlands as % of China |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 1.11 | 10.29 | 924% |
| 1970 | 1.11 | 10.29 | 924% |
| 1980 | 1.59 | 10.96 | 687% |
| 1990 | 2.13 | 11.02 | 518% |
| 2000 | 2.89 | 11.11 | 384% |
| 2010 | 6.81 | 11.2 | 165% |
| 2020 | 8.48 | 8.15 | 96% |
| 2024 | 9.32 | 6.6 | 71% |
Frequently asked questions
When did China pass Netherlands in CO2 per capita?
In 2020. China’s published CO2 per capita rose above Netherlands’s that year and the lead has held since.
How do China and Netherlands compare today?
China is ahead: 9.32 against 6.6 — the trailing economy stands at about 71% of the leader.
Are these CO2 per capita figures nominal or adjusted?
They are exactly as the World Bank publishes them — metric tons per capita — with no interpolation or estimation for missing years.
Full series
Every published year for both economies, with charts, downloads and citations: