

In 2014, the top carbon dioxide (CO 2) emitters were China, the United States, the European Union, India, the Russian Federation, and Japan. (2017). National CO2 Emissions from Fossil-Fuel Burning, Cement Manufacture, and Gas Flaring: 1751-2014, Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Source: Boden, T.A., Marland, G., and Andres, R.J. Other Energy (10% of 2010 global greenhouse gas emissions): This source of greenhouse gas emissions refers to all emissions from the Energy sector which are not directly associated with electricity or heat production, such as fuel extraction, refining, processing, and transportation.(Note: Emissions from electricity use in buildings are excluded and are instead covered in the Electricity and Heat Production sector.) Buildings (6% of 2010 global greenhouse gas emissions): Greenhouse gas emissions from this sector arise from onsite energy generation and burning fuels for heat in buildings or cooking in homes.Almost all (95%) of the world's transportation energy comes from petroleum-based fuels, largely gasoline and diesel. Transportation (15% of 2010 global greenhouse gas emissions): Greenhouse gas emissions from this sector primarily involve fossil fuels burned for road, rail, air, and marine transportation.This estimate does not include the CO2 that ecosystems remove from the atmosphere by sequestering carbon in biomass, dead organic matter, and soils, which offset approximately 20% of emissions from this sector. Agriculture, Forestry, and Other Land Use (22% of 2010 global greenhouse gas emissions): Greenhouse gas emissions from this sector come mostly from agriculture (cultivation of crops and livestock) and deforestation.(Note: Emissions from industrial electricity use are excluded and are instead covered in the Electricity and Heat Production sector.) This sector also includes emissions from chemical, metallurgical, and mineral transformation processes not associated with energy consumption and emissions from waste management activities.

Industry (24% of 2010 global greenhouse gas emissions): Greenhouse gas emissions from industry primarily involve fossil fuels burned on site at facilities for energy.Electricity and Heat Production (23% of 2010 global greenhouse gas emissions): The burning of coal, natural gas, and oil for electricity and heat is the largest single source of global greenhouse gas emissions.Details about the sources included in these estimates can be found in the Contribution of Working Group III to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Source: IPCC (2014) Exit based on global emissions from 2010. Global greenhouse gas emissions can also be broken down by the economic activities that lead to their production. Learn more about black carbon and climate change on our Causes of Climate Change page.

