CLIMATE TRUTH ALLIANCE
WHO CONTRIBUTES THE MOST TO GLOBALWARMING?
Largest emitters of greenhouse gases.
We have all observed the consequences of the Planet’s warming; they are quite visible and affect the entire globe. Extreme weather events, which cause catastrophic floods, leading to the displacement of populations and the loss of homes and property; high-intensity hurricanes leaving a trail of devastation; uncontrollable, rapidly spreading forest fires, destroying vast forested areas and enhancing the greenhouse effect; rising sea levels, which become an existential threat, forcing entire communities to migrate, as in Fiji, Maldives, Tuvalu; rising maximum temperatures which, according to the Copernicus Observatory, have reached a series of records in various parts of the Planet, with heat waves where temperatures rise close to 50ºC; rising sea water temperatures, which trigger various phenomena, interfering with the balance of ocean currents and atmospheric balance. Many other consequences are happening silently, worsening life on the Planet. It is urgent to stop greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, but we know it is not possible to immediately halt Economic Activity, but we must move more swiftly towards the complete decarbonization of the Planet. The targets set at COP 28 and 29 were commitments and plans whose implementation is underway, and the indicators suggest that we are short of what is necessary, and the goal of limiting temperature increase to no more than 1.5º C is compromised.
COUNTRIES, COMPANIES, SECTORS THAT STILL MOST CONTRIBUTE TO GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS
COUNTRIES
LARGEST EMITTING COUNTRIES. GLOBAL ANNUAL EMISSIONS RANKING:
- China
- USA
- India
- European Union
- Russia
- Japan
- Brazil
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Canada
- Saudi Arabia
EMISSIONS PER CAPITA
- Saudi Arabia
- USA
- Canada
CUMULATIVE HISTORICAL EMISSIONS:
Since the beginning of the industrial era, the largest emitters are:
- USA
- China
- European Union
CHINA and the USA are the main contributors to climate change.
COMPANIES
The data released in 2025 refers to the years 2023 and 2024.
According to a study released by the “Carbon Majors Database” and other complementary sources, the main contributors to emissions are fossil fuel, coal, gas, oil, and cement producing companies.
In 2023, 57 large companies were responsible for 80% of global emissions, and 36 of these companies produced more than half of global CO2 emissions.
STATE-OWNED COMPANIES LEADING THE RANKING:
- Saudi Aramco, oil and gas, Saudi Arabia
- Coal India, coal, India
- CHN Energy, coal and energy in China
- National Iranian Oil Company, oil and gas, Iran
- Gazprom, natural gas and oil, Russia
PRIVATE COMPANIES:
- ExxonMobil, USA
- Chevron, USA
- Shell, UK/Netherlands
- BP British Petroleum, UK
- TotalEnergies, France
Cement companies are also highly polluting and difficult to decarbonize due to the manufacturing process itself.
OTHER HIGH-TECH SECTORS/COMPANIES THAT ADD TO GHG EMISSIONS.
TECHNOLOGICAL, DIGITAL SECTOR, AI AND DATACENTERS:
There has been an increase in indirect emissions due to the growth of AI and large-scale energy-intensive infrastructures, with enormous expansion expected in this sector. Between 2020 and 2023, a significant energy impact was observed, notably in Amazon (+182%), Microsoft (+155%), Alphabet (+138%), Meta (+145%).
AGRICULTURE/FOOD PRODUCTION:
Agriculture and food production is a sector with a significant impact on emissions due to deforestation, fertilizer use, and the transport of final products, accelerating, with meat production being one of the sectors that causes the highest CO2 and CH4 emissions (methane).
FAST FASHION:
This sector has a significant impact due to fast production chains, intensive transport, broad reach, and high energy consumption.
In the rankings considered the totality of emissions associated with their products, which are divided into direct emissions, generated from their operations (scope 1), and indirect emissions, generated from the use of products by consumers (scope 3), with the latter being the most responsible for the emissions.
GLOBAL POLICY AND REGULATION
There are regulations and governmental commitments that lead governments to subsidize the fossil fuel sector, and new fossil fuel exploration projects continue to be allowed and developed.
These measures are incompatible with the goals set by COP 28 and COP 29 and are particularly incompatible with the 1.5ºC limit for global temperature increase relative to the average temperature at the beginning of the industrial era.
#WE MUST DENOUNCE!
#WE MUST ALERT!
#WE MUST PRESSURE!
WE CANNOT ALLOW THE PLANET TO BE DESTROYED IN THE NAME OF ECONOMIC GREED!
THE EARTH IS IN OUR HANDS, IN OUR WILL, IN OUR DETERMINATION, IN OUR STRUGGLE!
REFERENCES:
- Carbon Majors Database (2025)
- Climate Accountability Institute
Reports/Analyses:
- ITU (International Telecommunication Union)
- Climate Benchmarking Alliance
- IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change)
- UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme)
- Global Environment Outlook
