Environment · Sub-Saharan Africa · Low income
Rwanda: environment and emissions
CO₂ per person is 0.16 t (2024), 184th of 203 in the world and 37th of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa. GHG per person is 0.59 t (2024), 194th of 203 in the world and 46th of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa. GHG emissions is 8.3 Mt (2024), 146th of 203 in the world and 34th of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa.
CO₂ per person
RwandaSub-Saharan AfricaLow incomeWorld
GHG per person
RwandaSub-Saharan AfricaLow incomeWorld
15 indicators
Environment: Rwanda in detail
Latest reported value, world rank and rank within Sub-Saharan Africa; values around 2000, 2010, 2020; group and world columns are World Bank aggregates.
| Indicator | Latest | World rank | In region | ~2000 | ~2010 | ~2020 | 10-year change | Region | Income group | World | Since 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CO₂ per personCO₂ emissions per capita, tonnes | 0.16 t2024 | 184/203 | 37/47 | 0.08 t | 0.07 t | 0.11 t | +92%since 2014 | 0.70 t | 0.30 t | 4.69 t | |
| GHG per personGreenhouse gas emissions per person, t CO₂e | 0.59 t2024 | 194/203 | 46/47 | 0.50 t | 0.56 t | 0.58 t | +7.0%since 2014 | 1.91 t | 1.43 t | 6.36 t | |
| GHG emissionsTotal greenhouse gas emissions excl. land use, Mt CO₂e | 8.3 Mt2024 | 146/203 | 34/47 | 4.1 Mt | 5.8 Mt | 7.6 Mt | +34%since 2014 | 2,444.8 Mt | 1,053.9 Mt | 53,206.4 Mt | |
| CO₂ emissionsCO₂ emissions, total excl. land use, Mt | 2.3 Mt2024 | 150/203 | 33/47 | 0.7 Mt | 0.7 Mt | 1.5 Mt | +141%since 2014 | 896.3 Mt | 224.0 Mt | 39,632.7 Mt | |
| MethaneMethane emissions, Mt CO₂e | 4.7 Mt2024 | 128/203 | 34/47 | 2.7 Mt | 3.8 Mt | 4.7 Mt | +18%since 2014 | 1,179.9 Mt | 619.9 Mt | 9,536.5 Mt | |
| Renewable energyRenewable energy, % of final energy consumption | 79.9%2022 | 17/212 | 15/48 | 86.8% | 90.5% | 81.7% | −8.9 ppsince 2012 | 70.3% | 74.6% | 19.7% | |
| Renewable powerRenewable electricity, % of output | 59.9%2021 | 58/206 | 20/48 | 63.5% | 67.7% | 63.3% | −5.2 ppsince 2011 | 32.6% | 59.1% | 27.8% | |
| PM2.5 exposurePM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure, µg/m³ | 36.0 µg/m³2023 | 30/200 | 13/48 | 38.1 µg/m³ | 40.0 µg/m³ | 38.4 µg/m³ | −11%since 2013 | 35.4 µg/m³ | 31.3 µg/m³ | 32.9 µg/m³ | |
| Forest coverForest area, % of land area | 26.1%2024 | 116/214 | 21/48 | 16.6% | 16.9% | 22.8% | +6.9 ppsince 2014 | 25.7% | 19.9% | 31.1% | |
| FarmlandAgricultural land, % of land area | 75.7%2024 | 13/210 | 8/48 | 76.3% | 79.4% | 73.6% | −5.1 ppsince 2014 | 44.7% | 42.1% | 36.9% | |
| Arable landArable land, % of land area | 48.9%2024 | 7/206 | 2/48 | 40.5% | 48.0% | 49.2% | −3.3 ppsince 2014 | 10.0% | 9.4% | 10.7% | |
| Protected areasTerrestrial and marine protected areas, % of territory | 9.1%2025 | 121/213 | 30/48 | · | · | 9.1% | +0.3 ppsince 2015 | 14.0% | 10.3% | 17.0% | |
| Water withdrawalsFreshwater withdrawals, % of internal resources | 6.4%2022 | 98/177 | 18/47 | 1.6% | 4.0% | 6.4% | +1.9 ppsince 2012 | 3.4% | 5.1% | 9.0% | |
| Freshwater per personRenewable internal freshwater per person, m³ | 696 m³2022 | 146/183 | 40/47 | 1,157 m³ | 921 m³ | 727 m³ | −21%since 2012 | 3,162 m³ | 3,260 m³ | 5,393 m³ | |
| Cereal yieldCereal yield, kg per hectare | 1,784 kg/ha2024 | 129/179 | 13/46 | 848 kg/ha | 1,966 kg/ha | 1,474 kg/ha | +27%since 2014 | 1,453 kg/ha | 1,345 kg/ha | 4,229 kg/ha |
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)“·” — no value reported within two years of that date. World rank counts countries with a recent value.
Better than ten years ago
- PM2.5 exposure−11%36.0 µg/m³ in 2023
- Protected areas+0.3 pp9.1% in 2025
- Cereal yield+27%1,784 kg/ha in 2024
Worse than ten years ago
- CO₂ per person+92%0.16 t in 2024
- GHG per person+7.0%0.59 t in 2024
- GHG emissions+34%8.3 Mt in 2024
- CO₂ emissions+141%2.3 Mt in 2024
Only indicators where higher or lower is clearly better are rated (for example, unemployment down is better, life expectancy up is better).
neighbours
Rwanda and its neighbours
Countries sharing a land border with Rwanda. Latest values since 2005; the highest in each row is marked.
| Indicator | Rwanda | Democratic Republic of the Congo | Tanzania | Uganda | Burundi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CO₂ per person | 0.16 t2024 | 0.06 t2024 | 0.31 t2024 | 0.17 t2024 | 0.07 t2024 |
| GHG per person | 0.59 t2024 | 0.54 t2024 | 1.50 t2024 | 1.15 t2024 | 0.60 t2024 |
| GHG emissions | 8.3 Mt2024 | 58.5 Mt2024 | 102.5 Mt2024 | 57.3 Mt2024 | 8.4 Mt2024 |
| CO₂ emissions | 2.3 Mt2024 | 6.2 Mt2024 | 21.3 Mt2024 | 8.3 Mt2024 | 1.0 Mt2024 |
| Methane | 4.7 Mt2024 | 42.2 Mt2024 | 59.7 Mt2024 | 38.2 Mt2024 | 5.7 Mt2024 |
| Renewable energy | 79.9%2022 | 96.3%2021 | 78.3%2021 | 90.9%2022 | 83.0%2022 |
| Renewable power | 59.9%2021 | 90.4%2021 | 37.2%2021 | 90.0%2021 | 61.3%2021 |
| PM2.5 exposure | 36.0 µg/m³2023 | 35.8 µg/m³2023 | 20.2 µg/m³2023 | 31.2 µg/m³2023 | 35.7 µg/m³2023 |
| Forest cover | 26.1%2024 | 61.5%2024 | 49.6%2024 | 11.9%2024 | 10.9%2024 |