Total GHG Emissions of Major Metals and Mining Companies Worldwide by Revenue in 2021 (2024)

FAQs

What is the total global GHG emissions 2021? ›

Total greenhouse gas emissions reached 40.8 Gt of CO2 equivalent (CO2eq) in 2021 when using a 100- year global warming potential time horizon (see “Data sources and method” for GWP values), surpassing the previous all-time high in 2019.

Production of metals stands for 40% of all industrial greenhouse gas emissions, 10% of the global energy consumption, 3.2 billion tonnes of minerals mined, and several billion tonnes of by-products every year.

Total GHG Emissions of Major Metals and Mining Companies Worldwide by Revenue (2021, MtCO2eq) Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are one of the main causes of rising global warming and the metals and mining industry accounts for approximately 4% to 7% of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions.

Fossil fuels – coal, oil and gas – are by far the largest contributor to global climate change, accounting for over 75 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions and nearly 90 per cent of all carbon dioxide emissions.

Key findings from the latest Inventory include: In 2022, U.S. greenhouse gas emissions totaled 6,343 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents, and 5,489 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents after accounting for sequestration from the land sector.

Emissions by Country

In 2020, the top ten greenhouse gas emitters were China, the United States, India, the European Union, Russia, Indonesia, Brazil, Japan, Iran, and Canada. These data include CO₂, CH₄, N₂O, and fluorinated gas emissions from energy, agriculture, forestry and land use change, industry, and waste.

CBO estimates that the manufacturing sector was responsible for 12 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in 2021. About 75 percent of those emissions came from burning fuel to create heat, and the rest were by-products of industrial processes that transform materials into products.

The largest source of greenhouse gas emissions from human activities in the United States is from burning fossil fuels for electricity, heat, and transportation.

How much does mining affect global warming? ›

The mining industry accounts for 2%–3% of global carbon emissions and therefore has an important role to play in limiting its own GHG emissions. The industry has a duty to act responsibly, and pressure is increasing from all stakeholders.

In the US, factory farms account for 33% of agricultural methane emissions and 13% of total US methane emissions. Food waste: Food waste accounts for 2% of US greenhouse gas emissions.

Electricity and heat production are the largest contributors to global emissions. This is followed by transport, manufacturing, construction (largely cement and similar materials), and agriculture. But this is not the same everywhere.

Carbon dioxide is currently responsible for over 60% of the "enhanced" greenhouse effect, which is responsible for climate change.

Global GHG emissions per capita have slightly increased in 2022 (0.4%) bringing to 8.3% its overall increase between 1990 and 2022 (from 6.24 t CO₂eq/cap to 6.76 t CO₂eq/cap). Global emissions intensity per GDP PPP in 2022 reached its 52-year minimum value of 0.386 tCO₂eq/k USD, 2% lower than in 2021.

The rebound in 2021 more than reversed the pandemic-induced decline in emissions of 1.9 Gt experienced in 2020. CO₂ emissions in 2021 rose to around 180 megatonnes (Mt) above the pre-pandemic level of 2019. The 6% increase in CO₂ emissions in 2021 was in line with the jump in global economic output of 5.9%.

Global. In 2019, total global anthropogenic GHG emissions were 51.7 Gt CO₂e. Since 1990, annual anthropogenic GHG emissions increased by 57%. Average annual GHG emissions were 56 Gt CO₂e from 2010-2019.

Annual global emissions of carbon dioxide 1940-2023. Global carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels and industry totaled 37.15 billion metric tons (GtCO₂) in 2022.