Countries by Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) (Mt CO2e)
China ranks 1st in nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from fugitive energy sources, recording 0.9269 Mt CO2e. At the other end, 36 countries record exactly 0.00 Mt CO2e, placing them jointly at rank 152. The gap between the highest and lowest values reflects the uneven global distribution of fossil fuel extraction, refining, and coal sector activity.
Ranking 2024
Analysis
This metric measures annual nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from the fugitive emissions subsector of the energy sector, expressed in megatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (Mt CO2e). According to the source definition, it covers 'IPCC 2006 codes 1.A.1.bc Petroleum Refining - Manufacture of Solid Fuels and Other Energy Industries, 1.B.1 Solid Fuels, 1.B.2 Oil and Natural Gas, 5.B,' and values are 'standardized to carbon dioxide equivalent values using the Global' Warming Potential methodology. Higher values indicate greater emissions. The dataset covers 187 countries, all with data from within the last seven years, and 100% of datapoints are classified as official quality. The indicator code is EN.GHG.N2O.FE.MT.CE.AR5, with a reference year of 2024. The viability checks identified 23 extreme outliers using a 3-sigma threshold, and the value range spans 0.00 to 0.93 Mt CO2e, a spread of 999%.
The top of the ranking is concentrated among large economies with significant fossil fuel and coal sectors. China ranks 1st at 0.9269 Mt CO2e, followed by Brazil at 2nd (0.7769 Mt CO2e) and the United States at 3rd (0.3089 Mt CO2e). The Russian Federation ranks 4th at 0.2576 Mt CO2e and South Africa 5th at 0.2275 Mt CO2e. India, often associated with large energy emissions, ranks 10th at 0.1621 Mt CO2e, while Canada ranks 11th at 0.1133 Mt CO2e. Iraq ranks 8th at 0.1761 Mt CO2e, reflecting substantial oil and gas activity captured under the fugitive emissions subsectors.
The middle of the ranking includes several sub-Saharan African nations with notable values. Uganda ranks 12th at 0.1109 Mt CO2e, Zambia 14th at 0.1014 Mt CO2e, and Kenya 15th at 0.0954 Mt CO2e, all placing ahead of larger economies such as Mexico (rank 21, 0.0715 Mt CO2e) and Indonesia (rank 26, 0.0557 Mt CO2e). In the lower portion of the ranking, many high-income European countries record very small values: France ranks 86th at 0.0056 Mt CO2e, Italy 62nd at 0.0117 Mt CO2e, and Switzerland ranks 143rd at 0.0001 Mt CO2e. A total of 36 countries share rank 152 with a value of 0.00 Mt CO2e, including Armenia, Estonia, Honduras, Panama, and Slovenia, among others.
Several data limitations apply to this metric. Fugitive emissions can be difficult to measure directly and are often estimated using activity data and emission factors, which vary in reliability across countries. Countries with less developed statistical infrastructure may underreport or estimate emissions with greater uncertainty. The 23 extreme outliers identified in the viability checks suggest the distribution is heavily skewed, with a small number of countries accounting for a disproportionate share of total emissions. The value of 0.00 for 36 countries may reflect genuine low activity, rounding to zero at this level of precision, or incomplete reporting rather than confirmed zero emissions. Comparisons between countries should account for differences in reporting methodologies and the specific subsectors each country includes in its national inventories.
Methodology
Data are drawn from the World Bank World Development Indicators, indicator code EN.GHG.N2O.FE.MT.CE.AR5, with a reference year of 2024. The metric measures annual nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from fugitive emissions in the energy sector, covering 'IPCC 2006 codes 1.A.1.bc Petroleum Refining - Manufacture of Solid Fuels and Other Energy Industries, 1.B.1 Solid Fuels, 1.B.2 Oil and Natural Gas, 5.B,' with values 'standardized to carbon dioxide equivalent values using the Global' Warming Potential for N2O under AR5. The unit is megatonnes of CO2 equivalent (Mt CO2e). The ranking covers 187 countries, all of which have data from within the last seven years (100% recency). All 187 datapoints are classified as official quality (100%). Viability checks identified 23 extreme outliers at the 3-sigma threshold. The value range is 0.00 to 0.93 Mt CO2e, representing a 999% spread. Average year-over-year change is 11.7%, within the 50% volatility threshold. Higher values indicate greater emissions and rank higher under this metric's 'higher is better' convention, which reflects greater measured activity rather than a positive outcome.