Where Data Tells the Story
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When I was born in the 1990s, the average carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in the United Kingdom were about six times higher than in China, but these trends have converged in my lifetime.
You can see this in the chart: in 2022, China’s per capita emissions matched those in the UK.
Once a country that ran on coal, the UK has closed its last coal plant. This has been the main driver of its emissions decline.
Meanwhile, rapid economic growth, powered mainly by coal, has ramped up emissions in China.
These emission numbers are adjusted for trade. Based on domestic production, China’s per capita emissions are much higher than the UK's. But since China is a net exporter of goods (and emissions) and the UK is a net importer, the gap closes when we adjust for consumption.
These emissions are based on domestic consumption and do not include international aviation or shipping, where Brits are likely to emit more.