Argentina is the Latin American country with the highest carbon dioxide emissions per person: 4.01 tonnes per person in 2024, according to the World Bank, which uses data from the European Commission Joint Research Centre's EDGAR database. It is followed by Chile (3.94 tonnes) and Mexico (3.64). At the other end, a Nicaraguan emits 0.83 tonnes a year. The Latin America and Caribbean average is 2.68 tonnes, below the world average (4.69) and a third of the OECD's (7.92).
*Updated on November 3, 2026*, days before COP31, the United Nations climate conference held in Antalya (Türkiye) from November 9 to 20, according to Prensa Latina. This ranking will be updated on this same page when the World Bank publishes 2025 data.
Ranking of CO2 emissions per person in Latin America, 2024
The figures are CO2 emissions from energy, industry, agriculture and waste, excluding land use and deforestation (known as LULUCF), divided by each country's population.
| # | Country | t of CO2 per person, 2014 | t of CO2 per person, 2019 | t of CO2 per person, 2024 | Change 2014-2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Argentina | 4.42 | 4.08 | 4.01 | −9.2% |
| 2 | Chile | 4.41 | 4.96 | 3.94 | −10.6% |
| 3 | Mexico | 4.01 | 3.93 | 3.64 | −9.4% |
| 4 | Venezuela | 6.34 | 4.16 | 3.39 | −46.5% |
| 5 | Dominican Republic | 2.10 | 2.61 | 2.99 | +42.4% |
| 6 | Panama | 2.77 | 3.11 | 2.74 | −1.1% |
| 7 | Ecuador | 2.71 | 2.42 | 2.64 | −2.4% |
| 8 | Uruguay | 2.01 | 2.11 | 2.57 | +28.0% |
| 9 | Brazil | 2.73 | 2.26 | 2.32 | −15.1% |
| 10 | Bolivia | 1.79 | 1.88 | 2.29 | +27.7% |
| 11 | Peru | 1.77 | 1.79 | 2.02 | +14.5% |
| 12 | Cuba | 2.38 | 1.99 | 1.91 | −19.8% |
| 13 | Colombia | 1.82 | 1.72 | 1.80 | −1.4% |
| 14 | Costa Rica | 1.69 | 1.64 | 1.63 | −3.3% |
| 15 | El Salvador | 1.11 | 1.30 | 1.51 | +36.2% |
| 16 | Paraguay | 0.98 | 1.31 | 1.16 | +18.2% |
| 17 | Honduras | 1.10 | 1.02 | 1.14 | +3.6% |
| 18 | Guatemala | 0.93 | 1.15 | 1.11 | +19.4% |
| 19 | Nicaragua | 0.81 | 0.82 | 0.83 | +2.5% |
Source: World Bank, indicator EN.GHG.CO2.PC.CE.AR5 (tonnes of CO2 equivalent per person), retrieved November 3, 2026; data from EDGAR. Changes: VIVARAE NEWS calculation using unrounded figures.
Argentina, Chile and Mexico: the highest CO2 emissions per person
The three countries at the top of the ranking are among the region's largest and most industrialized economies. Chile has cut the most in recent years: from 4.96 tonnes per person in 2019 to 3.94 in 2024 (−20.6%), the biggest drop in Latin America in that period, ahead of Venezuela (−18.5%).
Mexico, by contrast, is the region's second-largest emitter in total volume: 476 million tonnes in 2024, just below Brazil (491.5 million), according to the World Bank. Brazil has large total emissions because of its size but low emissions per person (2.32 t), below the regional average.
| Comparison | t of CO2 per person, 2024 |
|---|---|
| United States | 13.62 |
| China | 9.32 |
| OECD members | 7.92 |
| World | 4.69 |
| Argentina (highest in Latin America) | 4.01 |
| Latin America and the Caribbean | 2.68 |
| Nicaragua (lowest in Latin America) | 0.83 |
Source: World Bank, same indicator. An American emits on average five times more CO2 than a Latin American.
Total CO2 emissions: Brazil and Mexico account for more than half of Latin America
Looking at total volume instead of per-person figures changes the order. Latin America and the Caribbean emitted 1,771.5 million tonnes of CO2 in 2024, 4.5% of the world total (39,632.7 million), according to the World Bank. Brazil and Mexico together account for 967.5 million tonnes, 54.6% of the region.
| # | Country | Total CO2 emissions, 2024 (million t) | % of Latin America and the Caribbean |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brazil | 491.5 | 27.7% |
| 2 | Mexico | 476.0 | 26.9% |
| 3 | Argentina | 183.3 | 10.3% |
| 4 | Venezuela | 96.4 | 5.4% |
| 5 | Colombia | 95.1 | 5.4% |
| 6 | Chile | 77.8 | 4.4% |
| 7 | Peru | 69.3 | 3.9% |
| 8 | Ecuador | 48.0 | 2.7% |
| 9 | Dominican Republic | 34.2 | 1.9% |
| 10 | Bolivia | 28.4 | 1.6% |
| — | Latin America and the Caribbean | 1,771.5 | 100% |
| — | World | 39,632.7 | — |
Source: World Bank, indicator EN.GHG.CO2.MT.CE.AR5 (million tonnes of CO2 equivalent, excluding LULUCF). Shares: VIVARAE NEWS calculation. The World Bank's Latin America and Caribbean aggregate includes Caribbean countries not shown in the ranking.
Where CO2 emissions are rising in Latin America
While the regional average fell 12.5% between 2014 and 2024, emissions per person rose in nine countries. The biggest increases were in the Dominican Republic (+42.4%), El Salvador (+36.2%), Uruguay (+28.0%) and Bolivia (+27.7%). The largest drop was Venezuela's (−46.5%), which coincides with the sharp contraction of its economy over that decade.
How to read the CO2 emissions ranking
- CO2 only: it does not include methane or nitrous oxide, gases that weigh heavily in cattle-raising countries such as Uruguay, Paraguay and Argentina.
- No deforestation: it excludes land use and forests (LULUCF). If included, Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay would rise in the ranking.
- Per person: it measures each country's emissions divided by its population; for total volume, see the table above.
- Context: each country's population is in our Latin America population ranking and the size of each economy in the GDP per capita ranking.
How to cite this data
Vivarae News (2026). "CO2 emissions per person in Latin America: ranking by country 2026". Updated November 3, 2026. Available at https://vivaraenews.com/en/co2-emissions-per-person-in-latin-america-ranking-by-country-2026/. The data may be reproduced by citing Vivarae News and linking to this page; each country's figures belong to the World Bank and EDGAR (JRC, European Commission).
Frequently asked questions
Which Latin American country emits the most CO2 per person?
Argentina, with 4.01 tonnes per person in 2024, followed by Chile (3.94) and Mexico (3.64), according to the World Bank and EDGAR.
How much CO2 does a Chilean emit per year?
3.94 tonnes in 2024, down from 4.96 in 2019. It is the second-highest figure in Latin America.
Which Latin American country emits the most CO2 in total?
Brazil, with 491.5 million tonnes in 2024, followed by Mexico (476.0 million) and Argentina (183.3 million).
What is the world average of CO2 emissions per person?
4.69 tonnes in 2024. Latin America and the Caribbean average 2.68 tonnes and OECD countries 7.92.
