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

France ranks 63rd out of 220 countries with data for 2022.

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

Over the last ten years it is down 70.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.

Where does this France 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 France

Name: Coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions in France
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)

France: Coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions was 102,305 tonnes in 2022. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2022)

102,305 tonnes

Change on year

down 6.7%

World rank

63rd

of 220 countries

All-time high

3.46 million tonnes

in 1976

All-time low

32,253 tonnes

in 1750

Years of data

273

1750–2022

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

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

Analysis

France recorded 102,305 tonnes for coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions in 2022.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 6.7% on the previous year and down 70.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions in France peaked at 3.46 million tonnes in 1976 and was at its lowest, 32,253 tonnes, in 1750.

France ranks 63rd of 220 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

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	32,359 tonnes	32,253 tonnes	32,462 tonnes	10
1760s	32,576 tonnes	32,484 tonnes	32,665 tonnes	10
1770s	32,762 tonnes	32,684 tonnes	32,837 tonnes	10
1780s	32,917 tonnes	32,852 tonnes	32,978 tonnes	10
1790s	33,040 tonnes	32,990 tonnes	33,087 tonnes	10
1800s	35,605 tonnes	33,096 tonnes	42,413 tonnes	10
1810s	44,453 tonnes	43,034 tonnes	46,208 tonnes	10
1820s	53,032 tonnes	47,563 tonnes	61,351 tonnes	10
1830s	72,993 tonnes	60,831 tonnes	84,727 tonnes	10
1840s	103,353 tonnes	84,668 tonnes	122,938 tonnes	10
1850s	160,256 tonnes	120,751 tonnes	191,316 tonnes	10
1860s	256,894 tonnes	206,707 tonnes	302,722 tonnes	10
1870s	337,981 tonnes	275,323 tonnes	373,813 tonnes	10
1880s	449,622 tonnes	416,547 tonnes	482,670 tonnes	10
1890s	565,136 tonnes	522,276 tonnes	643,658 tonnes	10
1900s	704,434 tonnes	627,704 tonnes	781,853 tonnes	10
1910s	722,868 tonnes	591,019 tonnes	943,132 tonnes	10
1920s	975,575 tonnes	739,420 tonnes	1.13 million tonnes	10
1930s	1.05 million tonnes	949,315 tonnes	1.15 million tonnes	10
1940s	760,062 tonnes	437,389 tonnes	1.11 million tonnes	10
1950s	1.30 million tonnes	991,385 tonnes	1.55 million tonnes	10
1960s	2.16 million tonnes	1.71 million tonnes	2.51 million tonnes	10
1970s	3.16 million tonnes	2.59 million tonnes	3.46 million tonnes	10
1980s	2.05 million tonnes	1.39 million tonnes	3.40 million tonnes	10
1990s	1.15 million tonnes	871,889 tonnes	1.52 million tonnes	10
2000s	608,423 tonnes	425,312 tonnes	774,562 tonnes	10
2010s	275,383 tonnes	189,943 tonnes	398,045 tonnes	10
2020s	106,128 tonnes	102,305 tonnes	109,631 tonnes	3

Countries ranked near France

60 Namibia 116,169 tonnes compare
61 Morocco 115,647 tonnes compare
62 Oman 108,993 tonnes compare
64 Libya 95,896 tonnes compare
65 Nepal 90,390 tonnes compare
66 Guatemala 89,373 tonnes compare

See the full ranking of 220 places →

More energy & mining data for France

Fuel imports 12.7% (2024)
Ores and metals imports 2.3% (2024)
Ores and metals exports 2.4% (2024)
Gas production 0.1487 terawatt-hours (2024)
Fossil fuel production per person, by fuel 2.23 kilowatt-hours per person (2024)
Fossil fuel production by fuel 0.1487 terawatt-hours (2024)
Gas production per person 2.23 kilowatt-hours per person (2024)
Fuel exports 4.4% (2024)
Electric power transmission and distribution losses 6.6% (2024)
Share of dietary energy supply from carbohydrates vs. GDP per capita 48.2% (2023)

All data for France →

Frequently asked questions

What is coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions in France?: Coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions in France was 102,305 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 France?: The highest recorded value was 3.46 million tonnes in 1976.
What is the lowest coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions recorded in France?: The lowest recorded value was 32,253 tonnes in 1750.
How does France rank for coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions?: France ranks 63rd out of 220 countries with data for 2022.
Is coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions rising or falling in France?: Over the last ten years it is down 70.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this France 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.