How does Canada rank for coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions?

Canada ranks 24th out of 220 countries with data for 2022.

Is coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions rising or falling in Canada?

Over the last ten years it is down 49.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.

Where does this Canada data come from?

The figures come from Hoesly et al. (2024) - Community Emissions Data System (CEDS) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions in Canada

Name: Coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions in Canada
Creator: Hoesly et al. (2024) - Community Emissions Data System (CEDS) – with major processing by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

Canada: Coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions was 629,055 tonnes in 2022. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2022)

629,055 tonnes

Change on year

down 5.4%

World rank

24th

of 220 countries

All-time high

5.89 million tonnes

in 1973

All-time low

213.99 tonnes

in 1750

Years of data

273

1750–2022

Coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions in Canada, 1750–2022

Source: Hoesly et al. (2024) - Community Emissions Data System (CEDS) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.

Analysis

Canada recorded 629,055 tonnes for coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions in 2022.

That represents a change of down 5.4% on the previous year and down 49.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions in Canada peaked at 5.89 million tonnes in 1973 and was at its lowest, 213.99 tonnes, in 1750.

That places Canada 24th out of 220 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1750s	228.33 tonnes	213.99 tonnes	242.62 tonnes	10
1760s	262.79 tonnes	245.79 tonnes	279.72 tonnes	10
1770s	303.7 tonnes	283.46 tonnes	323.85 tonnes	10
1780s	369.93 tonnes	328.3 tonnes	411.8 tonnes	10
1790s	447.2 tonnes	417.3 tonnes	476.91 tonnes	10
1800s	519.31 tonnes	483.46 tonnes	554.9 tonnes	10
1810s	654.96 tonnes	562.73 tonnes	746.39 tonnes	10
1820s	894.52 tonnes	766.47 tonnes	1,021 tonnes	10
1830s	1,228 tonnes	1,049 tonnes	1,406 tonnes	10
1840s	1,871 tonnes	1,444 tonnes	2,518 tonnes	10
1850s	4,087 tonnes	2,720 tonnes	6,268 tonnes	10
1860s	12,409 tonnes	7,101 tonnes	21,113 tonnes	10
1870s	23,449 tonnes	16,247 tonnes	28,991 tonnes	10
1880s	118,338 tonnes	69,941 tonnes	185,150 tonnes	10
1890s	216,463 tonnes	177,781 tonnes	285,407 tonnes	10
1900s	574,321 tonnes	319,007 tonnes	771,694 tonnes	10
1910s	1.09 million tonnes	805,161 tonnes	1.36 million tonnes	10
1920s	1.44 million tonnes	1.09 million tonnes	1.83 million tonnes	10
1930s	2.03 million tonnes	1.42 million tonnes	2.64 million tonnes	10
1940s	2.99 million tonnes	2.56 million tonnes	3.25 million tonnes	10
1950s	3.23 million tonnes	2.98 million tonnes	3.60 million tonnes	10
1960s	4.28 million tonnes	3.84 million tonnes	4.90 million tonnes	10
1970s	5.26 million tonnes	4.45 million tonnes	5.89 million tonnes	10
1980s	3.77 million tonnes	3.27 million tonnes	4.56 million tonnes	10
1990s	2.68 million tonnes	2.41 million tonnes	3.14 million tonnes	10
2000s	2.09 million tonnes	1.47 million tonnes	2.39 million tonnes	10
2010s	1.11 million tonnes	761,186 tonnes	1.37 million tonnes	10
2020s	654,951 tonnes	629,055 tonnes	671,028 tonnes	3

Countries ranked near Canada

21 Iraq 773,825 tonnes compare
22 Bangladesh 646,979 tonnes compare
23 Serbia 642,734 tonnes compare
25 Malaysia 620,594 tonnes compare
26 Japan 617,600 tonnes compare
27 Thailand 597,814 tonnes compare

See the full ranking of 220 places →

More energy & mining data for Canada

Fuel imports 6.5% (2024)
Ores and metals imports 3.2% (2024)
Ores and metals exports 7.2% (2024)
Gas production 2,062 terawatt-hours (2025)
Fossil fuel production per person, by fuel 51,394 kilowatt-hours per person (2025)
Fossil fuel production by fuel 2,062 terawatt-hours (2025)
Gas production per person 51,394 kilowatt-hours per person (2025)
Fuel exports 27.7% (2024)
Electric power transmission and distribution losses 4.2% (2024)
Share of dietary energy supply from carbohydrates vs. GDP per capita 46.5% (2023)

All data for Canada →

Frequently asked questions

What is coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions in Canada?: Coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions in Canada was 629,055 tonnes in 2022, according to Hoesly et al. (2024) - Community Emissions Data System (CEDS) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions recorded in Canada?: The highest recorded value was 5.89 million tonnes in 1973.
What is the lowest coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions recorded in Canada?: The lowest recorded value was 213.99 tonnes in 1750.
How does Canada rank for coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions?: Canada ranks 24th out of 220 countries with data for 2022.
Is coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions rising or falling in Canada?: Over the last ten years it is down 49.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Canada data come from?: The figures come from Hoesly et al. (2024) - Community Emissions Data System (CEDS) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 273 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator: Coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions
Unit: tonnes
Source: Hoesly et al. (2024) - Community Emissions Data System (CEDS) – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 220 places, 60,060 data points, 1750–2022
Last refreshed: 07 August 2026

Sulfur dioxide (SO₂) is an air pollutant formed from the burning of fuels that contain sulfur, such as coal. SO₂ is one of the main chemicals that forms acid rain.