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US vs UK CO2 per capita
United States has held the lead throughout the published window. In 1970 United Kingdom stood at roughly 54% of United States’s CO2 per capita; today the figure is about 31%, and the pair was closest in 1971 (56%).
| Year | United States | United Kingdom | UK as % of US |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 22.41 | 12.1 | 54% |
| 1970 | 22.41 | 12.1 | 54% |
| 1980 | 21.04 | 10.81 | 51% |
| 1990 | 19.96 | 10.18 | 51% |
| 2000 | 21.01 | 9.37 | 45% |
| 2010 | 17.85 | 7.98 | 45% |
| 2020 | 13.47 | 4.79 | 36% |
| 2024 | 13.62 | 4.22 | 31% |
Frequently asked questions
When did United States pass United Kingdom in CO2 per capita?
It has not come to that. United States has posted the larger CO2 per capita in every published year (1970–2024).
How do United States and United Kingdom compare today?
United States is ahead: 13.62 against 4.22 — the trailing economy stands at about 31% 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: