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Costa Rica
AND Climate Change
Per capita CO₂ emissions
Carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions from
fossil fuels and industry
¹
. Land-use change is not included.
1881
2023
1900
1920
1940
1960
1980
2000
0 t
0.2 t
0.4 t
0.6 t
0.8 t
1 t
1.2 t
1.4 t
1.6 t
1.8 t
Costa Rica
Data source:
Global Carbon Budget (2024); Population based on various sources (2024)
OurWorldinData.org/co2-and-greenhouse-gas-emissions
|
CC BY
1.
Fossil emissions
: Fossil emissions measure the quantity of carbon dioxide (CO₂) emitted from the burning of fossil fuels, and directly from
industrial processes such as cement and steel production. Fossil CO₂ includes emissions from coal, oil, gas, flaring, cement, steel, and other
industrial processes. Fossil emissions do not include land use change, deforestation, soils, or vegetation.
Territorial and consumption-based CO₂ emissions, Costa Rica
Consumption-based emissions
¹
include those from
fossil fuels and industry
²
. Land-use change emissions are
not included.
1990
2023
1995
2000
2005
2010
2015
0 t
2 million t
4 million t
6 million t
8 million t
10 million t
12 million t
14 million t
Costa Rica – Consumption-based
emissions
Costa Rica – Territorial emissions
Data source:
Global Carbon Budget (2024)
OurWorldinData.org/co2-and-greenhouse-gas-emissions
|
CC BY
1.
Consumption-based emissions
: Consumption-based emissions are national or regional emissions that have been adjusted for trade. They are
calculated as domestic (or ‘production-based’ emissions) emissions minus the emissions generated in the production of goods and services that are
exported to other countries or regions, plus emissions from the production of goods and services that are imported. Consumption-based emissions =
Production-based – Exported + Imported emissions
2.
Fossil emissions
: Fossil emissions measure the quantity of carbon dioxide (CO₂) emitted from the burning of fossil fuels, and directly from
industrial processes such as cement and steel production. Fossil CO₂ includes emissions from coal, oil, gas, flaring, cement, steel, and other
industrial processes. Fossil emissions do not include land use change, deforestation, soils, or vegetation.
Per capita methane emissions
Per capita methane emissions are measured in tonnes of
carbon dioxide-equivalents
¹
per person per year.
1850
2023
1880
1900
1920
1940
1960
1980
2000
0 t/person
0.5 t/person
1 t/person
1.5 t/person
2 t/person
Costa Rica
Data source:
Jones et al. (2024); Population based on various sources (2024)
OurWorldinData.org/co2-and-greenhouse-gas-emissions
|
CC BY
1.
Carbon dioxide equivalents (CO₂eq)
: Carbon dioxide is the most important greenhouse gas, but not the only one. To capture all greenhouse
gas emissions, researchers express them in “carbon dioxide equivalents” (CO₂eq). This takes all greenhouse gases into account, not just CO₂. To
express all greenhouse gases in carbon dioxide equivalents (CO₂eq), each one is weighted by its global warming potential (GWP) value. GWP
measures the amount of warming a gas creates compared to CO₂. CO₂ is given a GWP value of one. If a gas had a GWP of 10 then one kilogram of
that gas would generate ten times the warming effect as one kilogram of CO₂. Carbon dioxide equivalents are calculated for each gas by multiplying
the mass of emissions of a specific greenhouse gas by its GWP factor. This warming can be stated over different timescales. To calculate CO₂eq
over 100 years, we’d multiply each gas by its GWP over a 100-year timescale (GWP100). Total greenhouse gas emissions – measured in CO₂eq –
are then calculated by summing each gas’ CO₂eq value.
Per capita greenhouse gas emissions
Greenhouse gas emissions
¹
include carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide from all sources, including
land-use change. They are measured in tonnes of
carbon dioxide-equivalents
²
over a 100-year timescale.
1850
2023
1880
1900
1920
1940
1960
1980
2000
0 t/person
5 t/person
10 t/person
15 t/person
20 t/person
25 t/person
30 t/person
Costa Rica
Data source:
Jones et al. (2024); Population based on various sources (2024)
Note:
Land-use change emissions can be negative.
OurWorldinData.org/co2-and-greenhouse-gas-emissions
|
CC BY
1.
Greenhouse gas emissions
: A greenhouse gas (GHG) is a gas that causes the atmosphere to warm by absorbing and emitting radiant energy.
Greenhouse gases absorb radiation that is radiated by Earth, preventing this heat from escaping to space. Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is the most
well-known greenhouse gas, but there are others including methane, nitrous oxide, and in fact, water vapor. Human-made emissions of greenhouse
gases from fossil fuels, industry, and agriculture are the leading cause of global climate change. Greenhouse gas emissions measure the total
amount of all greenhouse gases that are emitted. These are often quantified in carbon dioxide equivalents (CO₂eq) which take account of the
amount of warming that each molecule of different gases creates.
2.
Carbon dioxide equivalents (CO₂eq)
: Carbon dioxide is the most important greenhouse gas, but not the only one. To capture all greenhouse
gas emissions, researchers express them in “carbon dioxide equivalents” (CO₂eq). This takes all greenhouse gases into account, not just CO₂. To
express all greenhouse gases in carbon dioxide equivalents (CO₂eq), each one is weighted by its global warming potential (GWP) value. GWP
measures the amount of warming a gas creates compared to CO₂. CO₂ is given a GWP value of one. If a gas had a GWP of 10 then one kilogram of
that gas would generate ten times the warming effect as one kilogram of CO₂. Carbon dioxide equivalents are calculated for each gas by multiplying
the mass of emissions of a specific greenhouse gas by its GWP factor. This warming can be stated over different timescales. To calculate CO₂eq
over 100 years, we’d multiply each gas by its GWP over a 100-year timescale (GWP100). Total greenhouse gas emissions – measured in CO₂eq –
are then calculated by summing each gas’ CO₂eq value.
Cumulative CO₂ emissions
Running sum of CO₂ emissions produced from
fossil fuels and industry
¹
since the first year of recording,
measured in tonnes. Land-use change is not included.
1870
2023
1900
1920
1940
1960
1980
2000
0 t
50 million t
100 million t
150 million t
200 million t
250 million t
300 million t
Costa Rica
Data source:
Global Carbon Budget (2024)
OurWorldinData.org/co2-and-greenhouse-gas-emissions
|
CC BY
1.
Fossil emissions
: Fossil emissions measure the quantity of carbon dioxide (CO₂) emitted from the burning of fossil fuels, and directly from
industrial processes such as cement and steel production. Fossil CO₂ includes emissions from coal, oil, gas, flaring, cement, steel, and other
industrial processes. Fossil emissions do not include land use change, deforestation, soils, or vegetation.
Share of global CO₂ emissions
Carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions from
fossil fuels and industry
¹
. Land-use change is not included.
1870
2023
1900
1920
1940
1960
1980
2000
0%
0.005%
0.01%
0.015%
0.02%
0.025%
Costa Rica
Data source:
Global Carbon Budget (2024)
OurWorldinData.org/co2-and-greenhouse-gas-emissions
|
CC BY
1.
Fossil emissions
: Fossil emissions measure the quantity of carbon dioxide (CO₂) emitted from the burning of fossil fuels, and directly from
industrial processes such as cement and steel production. Fossil CO₂ includes emissions from coal, oil, gas, flaring, cement, steel, and other
industrial processes. Fossil emissions do not include land use change, deforestation, soils, or vegetation.
Per capita nitrous oxide emissions
Per capita nitrous oxide emissions are measured in tonnes of
carbon dioxide-equivalents
¹
per person per year.
1850
2023
1880
1900
1920
1940
1960
1980
2000
0 t/person
0.1 t/person
0.2 t/person
0.3 t/person
0.4 t/person
0.5 t/person
0.6 t/person
0.7 t/person
Costa Rica
Data source:
Jones et al. (2024); Population based on various sources (2024)
OurWorldinData.org/co2-and-greenhouse-gas-emissions
|
CC BY
1.
Carbon dioxide equivalents (CO₂eq)
: Carbon dioxide is the most important greenhouse gas, but not the only one. To capture all greenhouse
gas emissions, researchers express them in “carbon dioxide equivalents” (CO₂eq). This takes all greenhouse gases into account, not just CO₂. To
express all greenhouse gases in carbon dioxide equivalents (CO₂eq), each one is weighted by its global warming potential (GWP) value. GWP
measures the amount of warming a gas creates compared to CO₂. CO₂ is given a GWP value of one. If a gas had a GWP of 10 then one kilogram of
that gas would generate ten times the warming effect as one kilogram of CO₂. Carbon dioxide equivalents are calculated for each gas by multiplying
the mass of emissions of a specific greenhouse gas by its GWP factor. This warming can be stated over different timescales. To calculate CO₂eq
over 100 years, we’d multiply each gas by its GWP over a 100-year timescale (GWP100). Total greenhouse gas emissions – measured in CO₂eq –
are then calculated by summing each gas’ CO₂eq value.
Greenhouse gas emissions by sector, Costa Rica, 2021
Greenhouse gas emissions
¹
are measured in tonnes of
carbon dioxide-equivalents
²
over a 100-year timescale.
5.84 million t
3.74 million t
2.18 million t
1.48 million t
1.24 million t
550,000 t
420,000 t
150,000 t
10,000 t
0 t
-7.37 million t
Transport
Agriculture
Waste
Industry
Manufacturing and construction
Aviation and shipping
Buildings
Other fuel combustion
Electricity and heat
Fugitive emissions
Land-use change and forestry
Data source:
Climate Watch (2024)
Note:
Land-use change emissions can be negative.
OurWorldinData.org/co2-and-greenhouse-gas-emissions
|
CC BY
1.
Greenhouse gas emissions
: A greenhouse gas (GHG) is a gas that causes the atmosphere to warm by absorbing and emitting radiant energy.
Greenhouse gases absorb radiation that is radiated by Earth, preventing this heat from escaping to space. Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is the most
well-known greenhouse gas, but there are others including methane, nitrous oxide, and in fact, water vapor. Human-made emissions of greenhouse
gases from fossil fuels, industry, and agriculture are the leading cause of global climate change. Greenhouse gas emissions measure the total
amount of all greenhouse gases that are emitted. These are often quantified in carbon dioxide equivalents (CO₂eq) which take account of the
amount of warming that each molecule of different gases creates.
2.
Carbon dioxide equivalents (CO₂eq)
: Carbon dioxide is the most important greenhouse gas, but not the only one. To capture all greenhouse
gas emissions, researchers express them in “carbon dioxide equivalents” (CO₂eq). This takes all greenhouse gases into account, not just CO₂. To
express all greenhouse gases in carbon dioxide equivalents (CO₂eq), each one is weighted by its global warming potential (GWP) value. GWP
measures the amount of warming a gas creates compared to CO₂. CO₂ is given a GWP value of one. If a gas had a GWP of 10 then one kilogram of
that gas would generate ten times the warming effect as one kilogram of CO₂. Carbon dioxide equivalents are calculated for each gas by multiplying
the mass of emissions of a specific greenhouse gas by its GWP factor. This warming can be stated over different timescales. To calculate CO₂eq
over 100 years, we’d multiply each gas by its GWP over a 100-year timescale (GWP100). Total greenhouse gas emissions – measured in CO₂eq –
are then calculated by summing each gas’ CO₂eq value.
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