China emitted 15,981 million metric tons of greenhouse gases in 2025, about 30% of the world's total and 2.7 times the United States, according to the European Commission's EDGAR database. The U.S. ranked second at 6,018 million tons (11.4%), followed by India (4,508 million, 8.5%), Russia (2,574 million, 4.9%) and Indonesia (1,359 million, 2.6%).

The five largest emitters account for nearly 58% of the global total. The shares exclude international aviation and shipping.

Emissions rose again overall. Argus Media reports that EDGAR puts global emissions at a record of about 55 billion tons of CO2 equivalent in 2025, up 0.9%, with U.S. emissions up 2.2%, China's up 0.1% and India's down 0.2%.

As Visual Capitalist explains further,

Population helps explain emissions totals, but energy consumption and industrial activity also play major roles.

Saudi Arabia, for example, produces more greenhouse gases than Pakistan despite having a much smaller population. Australia also generates more than twice Bangladesh's emissions, even though its population is less than one-sixth as large.

These differences reflect factors such as fossil fuel dependence, energy-intensive industries, and each country's energy mix.

Despite their large shares of global emissions, some of the world's biggest emitters are beginning to see declines.

In 2025, China's energy-related CO₂ emissions fell by around 0.5%, helped by expanding renewable and nuclear power generation. India's energy-related CO₂ emissions also declined in 2025, helped by renewable power growth and cooler weather.

Europe has seen more sustained reductions. Emissions in Italy, Germany, and the UK have fallen by double-digit percentages over the past decade. Across the EU, greenhouse gas emissions have declined 40% since 1990, even as its economy grew by more than 70%.

These trends highlight how emissions can decline even as economies continue to grow, although global emissions remain heavily concentrated among a handful of countries.