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

China ranks 2nd out of 220 countries with data for 2022.

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

Over the last ten years it is down 66.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.

Where does this China 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 China

Name: Coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions in China
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)

China: Coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions was 10.38 million tonnes in 2022. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2022)

10.38 million tonnes

Change on year

up 0.5%

World rank

2nd

of 220 countries

All-time high

38.11 million tonnes

in 2006

All-time low

38,516 tonnes

in 1750

Years of data

273

1750–2022

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

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

Analysis

In 2022, coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions in China stood at 10.38 million tonnes.

The figure is up 0.5% on the previous year and down 66.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions in China peaked at 38.11 million tonnes in 2006 and was at its lowest, 38,516 tonnes, in 1750.

That places China 2nd out of 220 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top 10%.

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	39,014 tonnes	38,516 tonnes	39,512 tonnes	10
1760s	39,850 tonnes	39,622 tonnes	40,076 tonnes	10
1770s	44,723 tonnes	40,127 tonnes	49,314 tonnes	10
1780s	51,397 tonnes	50,332 tonnes	52,460 tonnes	10
1790s	51,375 tonnes	50,057 tonnes	52,696 tonnes	10
1800s	52,652 tonnes	49,764 tonnes	55,534 tonnes	10
1810s	55,823 tonnes	55,475 tonnes	56,173 tonnes	10
1820s	57,130 tonnes	55,397 tonnes	58,859 tonnes	10
1830s	59,229 tonnes	59,216 tonnes	59,242 tonnes	10
1840s	59,188 tonnes	59,163 tonnes	59,213 tonnes	10
1850s	56,868 tonnes	54,633 tonnes	59,158 tonnes	10
1860s	52,919 tonnes	51,703 tonnes	54,152 tonnes	10
1870s	52,082 tonnes	51,438 tonnes	52,732 tonnes	10
1880s	53,628 tonnes	52,873 tonnes	54,391 tonnes	10
1890s	55,993 tonnes	54,562 tonnes	58,873 tonnes	10
1900s	215,149 tonnes	57,356 tonnes	476,110 tonnes	10
1910s	346,509 tonnes	231,660 tonnes	536,994 tonnes	10
1920s	532,917 tonnes	453,567 tonnes	589,086 tonnes	10
1930s	751,472 tonnes	601,830 tonnes	927,344 tonnes	10
1940s	945,440 tonnes	448,325 tonnes	1.41 million tonnes	10
1950s	2.69 million tonnes	1.04 million tonnes	7.13 million tonnes	10
1960s	5.02 million tonnes	4.23 million tonnes	7.66 million tonnes	10
1970s	9.25 million tonnes	6.86 million tonnes	12.30 million tonnes	10
1980s	14.35 million tonnes	11.67 million tonnes	17.50 million tonnes	10
1990s	20.28 million tonnes	17.72 million tonnes	22.36 million tonnes	10
2000s	30.68 million tonnes	20.99 million tonnes	38.11 million tonnes	10
2010s	21.86 million tonnes	11.48 million tonnes	31.92 million tonnes	10
2020s	10.38 million tonnes	10.33 million tonnes	10.42 million tonnes	3

Countries ranked near China

1 India 11.28 million tonnes compare
3 Russia 5.25 million tonnes compare
4 Indonesia 3.82 million tonnes compare
5 Saudi Arabia 3.46 million tonnes compare

See the full ranking of 220 places →

More energy & mining data for China

Fuel imports 20.4% (2024)
Ores and metals imports 15.1% (2024)
Ores and metals exports 1.5% (2024)
Gas production 2,641 terawatt-hours (2025)
Fossil fuel production per person, by fuel 1,865 kilowatt-hours per person (2025)
Fossil fuel production by fuel 2,641 terawatt-hours (2025)
Gas production per person 1,865 kilowatt-hours per person (2025)
Fuel exports 1.5% (2024)
Electric power transmission and distribution losses 3.4% (2023)
Share of dietary energy supply from carbohydrates vs. GDP per capita 59.5% (2023)

All data for China →

Frequently asked questions

What is coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions in China?: Coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions in China was 10.38 million 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 China?: The highest recorded value was 38.11 million tonnes in 2006.
What is the lowest coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions recorded in China?: The lowest recorded value was 38,516 tonnes in 1750.
How does China rank for coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions?: China ranks 2nd out of 220 countries with data for 2022.
Is coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions rising or falling in China?: Over the last ten years it is down 66.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this China 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.