Learn About Climate Change

Topic — Your Country

What About
Your Country?

Every nation contributes to and is affected by climate change differently. Explore who emits the most, what is at stake regionally, and whether governments are doing enough.

Top 10
emitters responsible for 68% of global CO₂
195
countries signed the Paris Agreement
2°C+
projected warming under current policies
2050
net-zero target for most major economies

Five Key Dimensions

The Global Picture

01
Who Emits the Most?
Total vs. per capita

China is currently the world's largest emitter by total volume, responsible for about 27% of global CO₂ emissions. The United States is second at around 14%, followed by India, Russia, and Japan. Together, the top 10 emitters account for about 68% of global emissions.

But total emissions tell only part of the story. Per capita, the picture shifts dramatically. Australians, Americans, and Canadians emit 3–4× more per person than the global average. Qatar, Kuwait, and the UAE top the per-capita rankings. Meanwhile, the countries most vulnerable to climate impacts — in sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and small island states — have contributed the least historically.

▸China: ~27% of global CO₂; USA: ~14%; India: ~7% (2023)
▸Historically, the US has emitted more cumulative CO₂ than any other nation
▸The average Canadian emits ~15 tonnes of CO₂ per year vs. a global average of ~4.7 tonnes
Our World in Data →
02
The Arctic
Warming four times faster

The Arctic is warming at least four times faster than the global average — a phenomenon known as Arctic amplification. Sea ice extent has declined dramatically: the Arctic Ocean could see its first ice-free summer before 2050. This is not just a regional issue — it has global consequences.

Arctic sea ice acts as a reflective mirror, bouncing sunlight back into space. As it melts, darker ocean water absorbs more heat, accelerating warming in a powerful feedback loop. Permafrost thaw releases methane and CO₂ stored for millennia. Changes in the Arctic jet stream are linked to more extreme weather events across the Northern Hemisphere.

▸Arctic sea ice has declined ~13% per decade since satellite records began in 1979
▸Greenland is losing about 280 billion tonnes of ice per year
▸Permafrost covers 25% of the Northern Hemisphere land surface
NSIDC →
03
Health Impacts
The biggest health threat of the century

The WHO calls climate change the single biggest health threat facing humanity. The impacts are wide-ranging: heat-related illness and death, the spread of vector-borne diseases like malaria and dengue into new regions, air quality degradation from wildfires and ozone, food and water insecurity, and the mental health toll of climate grief and displacement.

The health impacts are deeply unequal. The elderly, children, outdoor workers, and people in low-income countries face the greatest risks. Climate change is projected to cause 250,000 additional deaths per year between 2030 and 2050 from malnutrition, malaria, diarrhoea, and heat stress alone.

▸Climate change is projected to cause 250,000 additional deaths/year by 2030–2050 (WHO)
▸Dengue fever range has expanded to 129 countries — up from 35 in the 1970s
▸Wildfire smoke is responsible for ~340,000 premature deaths per year globally
WHO →
04
The Paris Agreement
Are countries on track?

The Paris Agreement, adopted in 2015, commits 195 countries to limit global warming to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, with efforts to limit it to 1.5°C. Each country submits Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) — climate action plans — which are updated every five years.

The gap between commitments and action remains large. The Climate Action Tracker rates most major economies' policies as "insufficient" or "critically insufficient" to meet Paris targets. Current policies put the world on track for approximately 2.5–3°C of warming by 2100. However, the pace of renewable energy deployment is accelerating, and several countries have strengthened their commitments significantly.

▸Current policies put the world on track for ~2.7°C of warming (Climate Action Tracker)
▸Only a handful of countries have NDCs consistent with 1.5°C
▸G20 nations account for ~80% of global emissions
Climate Action Tracker →
05
Fossil Fuel Production
The extraction problem

Many countries face a fundamental tension: they are committed to climate targets while simultaneously expanding fossil fuel production. Canada, Australia, Norway, the US, and Saudi Arabia are among the world's largest fossil fuel producers — and all have net-zero commitments.

The UN Environment Programme's "Production Gap" report tracks the difference between planned fossil fuel production and what is consistent with 1.5°C. Governments plan to produce more than twice the amount of fossil fuels in 2030 than would be consistent with limiting warming to 1.5°C. Closing this gap requires not just clean energy deployment, but an active managed decline of fossil fuel extraction.

▸Governments plan to produce 110% more fossil fuels in 2030 than is consistent with 1.5°C (UNEP)
▸Canada is the world's 4th largest oil producer and 5th largest natural gas producer
▸Fossil fuel subsidies reached $7 trillion globally in 2022 — $13M per minute (IMF)
Our World in Data →

Now You Know

Every Country Has a Role

No country is exempt from the causes or consequences of climate change. The countries that have emitted the most have the greatest responsibility to act — and the greatest capacity to lead. Understanding your country's role is the first step to demanding better.

Effects
What is already happening
Explore →
Solutions
What actually works
Explore →
Take Action
What you can do
Explore →
Frequently Asked Questions

Common Questions About Countries & Climate

Which countries produce the most greenhouse gas emissions?+

China, the United States, India, Russia, and Japan are the top five emitters by total annual greenhouse gas output. Together, the top 10 emitters account for about 68% of global CO₂ emissions. However, on a per-capita basis, countries like Canada, Australia, and the United States rank among the highest emitters per person.

How is Canada affected by climate change?+

Canada is warming at roughly twice the global average rate, and the Arctic regions of Canada are warming even faster — up to three times the global rate. Impacts include more frequent wildfires, permafrost thaw, sea ice loss, flooding, and threats to Indigenous communities and northern infrastructure. Canada is also one of the world's highest per-capita emitters.

What is the Paris Agreement and is it working?+

195 countries signed the Paris Agreement in 2015, committing to limit global warming to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, with efforts to limit it to 1.5°C. Countries submit Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) — voluntary emissions reduction pledges. Current pledges, if fully implemented, would limit warming to approximately 2.5–2.9°C — insufficient to meet the 1.5°C goal.

What are developing countries doing about climate change?+

Many developing nations are among the most vulnerable to climate impacts despite contributing least to historical emissions. Countries like Bangladesh, small island states, and sub-Saharan African nations face severe risks from sea level rise, drought, and extreme heat. Many are investing heavily in renewables — often leapfrogging fossil fuel infrastructure — while also seeking climate finance from wealthier nations.

What is climate justice?+

Climate justice recognizes that the communities least responsible for climate change — low-income countries, Indigenous peoples, and marginalized communities — are often most severely affected by its impacts. It calls for equitable distribution of both the burdens of climate change and the benefits of the transition to clean energy, including financial support from historically high-emitting nations.

How does my country's climate policy affect global emissions?+

National policies matter both directly and as signals to other countries and markets. Strong domestic carbon pricing, clean energy standards, and fossil fuel phase-out commitments reduce emissions at home and can influence international supply chains, investment flows, and diplomatic negotiations. No country's emissions are truly isolated from the global system.