How Much Greenhouse Gasses Are Produced Every Year?

Among the most basic questions about the climate crisis is how much greenhouse gasses are produced every year. Unsurprisingly, global figures have steadily increased since the start of the Industrial Revolution. It’s a complicated issue, considering the majority of the activities behind these emissions are critical to human survival. 

Given current global GHG production rates, living sustainably is the only practical way forward. Individuals, corporations and governments are responsible for making the necessary lifestyle changes for the planet’s benefit. However, this too has been a complex endeavor. 

So, How Much Greenhouse Gasses Are Produced Every Year?

According to World in Data research, the world emits approximately 50 billion tons of GHG annually. Human activities account for a substantial chunk of these emissions. Without decisive action, this figure will likely increase as more countries fully embrace the digital age. 

Scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) created the Annual Greenhouse Gas Index (AGGI) to better understand the volume of GHG production over a given period. This index measures Earth’s capacity to trap heat from greenhouse gases in the atmosphere based on air samples collected worldwide. The AGGI essentially provides standardized information for tracking human-caused climate change. 

Since the start of the Industrial Revolution in 1750, the AGGI has recorded a steadily increasing warming influence of GHG pollution. What’s even more worrying is the rapid rate in recent years — the index took 200 years to go from 0 to 1 but went from 1 to 1.49 in just 30 years. This 49% increase between 1990 and 2021 indicates elevated anthropogenic activity, raising further concerns about the planet’s sustainability. 

How GHG Emissions Drive Global Warming 

Most atmospheric gasses are largely transparent to the sun’s rays, meaning they allow thermal radiation to pass through freely. This process warms land surfaces and oceans, effectively regulating global temperatures. 

The problem with greenhouse gases is that they’re not transparent to solar heat. Instead, they continually absorb the energy and radiate it back into the atmosphere even after the sun goes down. The sustained absorption and radiation of trapped heat cause surface temperatures to rise, which is known as global warming. 

These changes disrupt the natural balance, resulting in increasingly dire consequences, such as volatile weather patterns, intense heat waves, rising sea levels and droughts. 

What Is the Total Percentage of Greenhouse Gases in the Atmosphere?

GHG in the atmosphere comprises four major gasses — Carbon dioxide (CO2), Methane (CH4), Nitrous oxide (N2O) and fluorinated gasses like hydrofluorocarbons and sulfur hexafluoride.

CO2 is the primary greenhouse gas emitted by human activities. It enters the air mainly through burning fossil fuels, waste production and certain chemical reactions. According to the EPA, CO2 accounts for 79.7% of GHG emissions in the U.S., while CH4 and N2O take up 11.1% and 6.1%, respectively. Fluorinated gasses make up the remaining 3.1%. 

These gasses can stay in the atmosphere for varying amounts of time, sometimes for thousands of years, further complicating the problem. Getting rid of the pollution in the air is already challenging enough, but with new GHG being produced every day, the cycle worsens. 

Breaking Down GHG Emissions by Industry 

A country’s GHG emissions directly correlate with its level of industrialization, which is why China, the U.S. and several European nations produce the most greenhouse gasses.

The energy industry is currently the largest source of GHG emissions, accounting for 15.11 billion tons of CO2 alone. This pollution primarily comes from burning coal, oil and natural gas to generate electricity and heat. 

The transportation sector comes in next, contributing around 7.29 billion tons of emissions to the global crisis. Every mode of combustion engine-powered transport — planes, ships, cars and trains all cause massive amounts of air pollution. 

The agriculture industry is particularly notorious for its methane production. According to the UN, livestock cultivation accounts for roughly 32% of CH4 emissions, with another 8% from farming rice and related crops. This rate will likely soar as the global population is expected to rise dramatically over the next 30 years, raising food demand. 

The problem with methane is it is the primary cause of ground-level ozone, a toxic air pollutant that causes over one million premature deaths yearly. It is also 80 times more potent than CO2 in driving global warming. NOAA estimates CH4 pollution has progressively increased even during periods when CO2 emissions dropped, such as during the COVID-19 lockdown of 2020.

Manufacturing, construction and landfill waste round out the list of major industries responsible for producing massive amounts of GHG. 

How Much Greenhouse Gas Does Each Person Produce?

According to The Nature Conservancy, each American has a carbon footprint of 16 tons — four times more than the global average. In order to meet the climate response goals articulated in the Paris Agreement to keep temperature increase below 2 degrees Celsius, individuals must cut their carbon footprint to under 2 tons by 2050.

The Challenge of Decarbonizing the Global Economy 

Getting a clearer picture of how much greenhouse gasses are produced every year is just the first step in tackling anthropogenic global warming. The solutions themselves, though straightforward, are incredibly difficult to implement. For example, electricity generation releases tons of CO2 into the atmosphere, but humans can’t go about their day without heating and utilities. 

Similarly, transportation and food production are significant contributors to climate change, but humans must eat and move from one place to another throughout their lives. 

Since stopping an industry’s operations outright is out of the question, environment professionals approach the problem from a mitigation perspective. This means weighing the ecological impact of everyday human activities and promoting eco-consciousness at every turn. 

This approach has birthed a number of solutions across various industries — renewable energy sources in the power sector, electronic vehicles in transportation and responsible livestock farming in agriculture. Though promising, these fixes are a long way from global adoption. Plus, the current costs of these systems often mean they’re out of reach to the average consumer. 

Nevertheless, these measures are a step in the right direction, making a dent in the world’s vast carbon footprint. For example, the shift to renewable energy in the U.S. decreased reliance on coal, which in turn reduced overall emissions by 3% in 2023. Though it seems small, every percentage reduction counts. More importantly, it provides hope that humanity knows well enough what its future will be like if it doesn’t act now and cares enough to avert it. 

Addressing Climate Change One Deliberate Decision at a Time

GHG emissions are a problem not likely to go away anytime soon. Regardless, everyone must play their part in mitigating climate change or face more frequent and intense effects in the coming years.