Environment · South Asia · Upper-middle income
Sri Lanka: environment and emissions
CO₂ per person is 1.06 t (2024), 140th of 203 in the world and 4th of 6 in South Asia. GHG per person is 1.70 t (2024), 162nd of 203 in the world and 4th of 6 in South Asia. GHG emissions is 37.2 Mt (2024), 98th of 203 in the world and 4th of 6 in South Asia.
CO₂ per person
Sri LankaSouth AsiaUpper-middle incomeWorld
GHG per person
Sri LankaSouth AsiaUpper-middle incomeWorld
15 indicators
Environment: Sri Lanka in detail
Latest reported value, world rank and rank within South Asia; 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 | 1.06 t2024 | 140/203 | 4/6 | 0.59 t | 0.65 t | 1.03 t | +24%since 2014 | 1.98 t | 6.38 t | 4.69 t | |
| GHG per personGreenhouse gas emissions per person, t CO₂e | 1.70 t2024 | 162/203 | 4/6 | 1.16 t | 1.27 t | 1.64 t | +17%since 2014 | 2.79 t | 8.33 t | 6.36 t | |
| GHG emissionsTotal greenhouse gas emissions excl. land use, Mt CO₂e | 37.2 Mt2024 | 98/203 | 4/6 | 22.5 Mt | 26.5 Mt | 35.9 Mt | +24%since 2014 | 4,675.5 Mt | 25,498.1 Mt | 53,206.4 Mt | |
| CO₂ emissionsCO₂ emissions, total excl. land use, Mt | 23.3 Mt2024 | 83/203 | 3/6 | 11.5 Mt | 13.5 Mt | 22.6 Mt | +31%since 2014 | 3,320.7 Mt | 19,521.7 Mt | 39,632.7 Mt | |
| MethaneMethane emissions, Mt CO₂e | 11.1 Mt2024 | 96/203 | 4/6 | 9.0 Mt | 10.7 Mt | 10.7 Mt | +15%since 2014 | 965.0 Mt | 4,229.1 Mt | 9,536.5 Mt | |
| Renewable energyRenewable energy, % of final energy consumption | 48.8%2021 | 51/212 | 3/6 | 64.2% | 61.9% | 49.3% | −7.6 ppsince 2011 | 36.9% | 16.8% | 19.7% | |
| Renewable powerRenewable electricity, % of output | 49.2%2021 | 63/206 | 3/6 | 45.8% | 53.0% | 35.2% | +8.5 ppsince 2011 | 19.3% | 29.3% | 27.8% | |
| PM2.5 exposurePM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure, µg/m³ | 22.7 µg/m³2023 | 68/200 | 5/6 | 33.2 µg/m³ | 27.4 µg/m³ | 22.4 µg/m³ | −13%since 2013 | 55.2 µg/m³ | 26.7 µg/m³ | 32.9 µg/m³ | |
| Forest coverForest area, % of land area | 34.4%2024 | 98/214 | 3/6 | 35.6% | 34.4% | 34.7% | +0.7 ppsince 2014 | 25.6% | 29.2% | 31.1% | |
| FarmlandAgricultural land, % of land area | 48.8%2024 | 64/210 | 3/6 | 37.5% | 41.8% | 45.5% | +5.1 ppsince 2014 | 58.3% | 42.8% | 36.9% | |
| Arable landArable land, % of land area | 22.2%2024 | 46/206 | 3/6 | 14.4% | 19.1% | 22.2% | +1.4 ppsince 2014 | 49.3% | 9.8% | 10.7% | |
| Protected areasTerrestrial and marine protected areas, % of territory | 3.7%2025 | 158/213 | 5/6 | · | · | 3.4% | +0.3 ppsince 2015 | 4.6% | 12.8% | 17.0% | |
| Water withdrawalsFreshwater withdrawals, % of internal resources | 24.5%2022 | 53/177 | 3/6 | 24.6% | 24.5% | 24.5% | ±0.0 ppsince 2012 | 37.6% | 8.9% | 9.0% | |
| Freshwater per personRenewable internal freshwater per person, m³ | 2,380 m³2022 | 93/183 | 3/6 | 2,737 m³ | 2,529 m³ | 2,409 m³ | −4.6%since 2012 | 1,141 m³ | 6,090 m³ | 5,393 m³ | |
| Cereal yieldCereal yield, kg per hectare | 4,068 kg/ha2024 | 61/179 | 2/6 | 3,338 kg/ha | 3,974 kg/ha | 4,733 kg/ha | +7.1%since 2014 | 3,814 kg/ha | 4,942 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
- Renewable power+8.5 pp49.2% in 2021
- PM2.5 exposure−13%22.7 µg/m³ in 2023
- Protected areas+0.3 pp3.7% in 2025
- Cereal yield+7.1%4,068 kg/ha in 2024
Worse than ten years ago
- CO₂ per person+24%1.06 t in 2024
- GHG per person+17%1.70 t in 2024
- GHG emissions+24%37.2 Mt in 2024
- CO₂ emissions+31%23.3 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
Sri Lanka and its neighbours
Countries sharing a land border with Sri Lanka. Latest values since 2005; the highest in each row is marked.
| Indicator | Sri Lanka | India |
|---|---|---|
| CO₂ per person | 1.06 t2024 | 2.17 t2024 |
| GHG per person | 1.70 t2024 | 3.01 t2024 |
| GHG emissions | 37.2 Mt2024 | 4,371.2 Mt2024 |
| CO₂ emissions | 23.3 Mt2024 | 3,153.8 Mt2024 |
| Methane | 11.1 Mt2024 | 861.6 Mt2024 |
| Renewable energy | 48.8%2021 | 34.9%2021 |
| Renewable power | 49.2%2021 | 19.1%2021 |
| PM2.5 exposure | 22.7 µg/m³2023 | 54.1 µg/m³2023 |
| Forest cover | 34.4%2024 | 24.4%2024 |