Energy Consumption and CO2 Emissions in Europe and Worldwide

Updated on 09.12.2025

10 min read

High School

Economic and social sciences

Where does the European Union (EU) stand in terms of energy consumption and CO₂ emissions compared to the United States, China or the African continent?  In two tables, Planète Énergies explains the major world balances.

Image of the European Union headquarters in Brussels, behind a row of European flags.

Comparative World Energy Consumption

Here is the total consumption of sources - before transformation in several major regions of the World, from 2000 to 2022. Figures are given in millions of “tons of oil equivalent” (Mtoe). Beyond the absolute value of these figures, it is interesting to compare them and look at how they have evolved through the years.

To sum up:

*Source : EU Energy in figures 2023*
In millions of toe	2000	2010	2019	2020	2021	2022	Share of global consumption
UE at 27	1,471	1,528	1,407	1,311	1,387	1,307	8.8%
China	1,147	2,550	3,397	3,501	3,733	3,811	25.6%
United State	2,273	2,216	2,212	2,035	2,139	2,173	14.6%
Asia except China	2,262	3,117	3,775	3,663	3,855	3,978	26,0%
Africa	435	608	754	733	778	796	5,8%
World	9,936	12,732	14,388	13,857	14,674	14,860	100%

Comments on the table:

The 27 countries of the EU consume less than a tenth of world energy.

Consumption in the EU and the United States has declined since the year 2000, thanks to technological advances and efforts in terms of energy saving.

China overtook the United States in 2010 and today consumes 75% more than it does.

Consumption in Asia excluding China (India, Japan, Indonesia, etc.) has also increase over the past 20 years.

The strong growth in 2021 is due to the economic recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic.

You can find detailed figures for the main energy-producing and energy-consuming countries here.

How much of the world's CO₂ energy does Asia consume (China, India, Japan, Indonesia, etc.)?

More than half.

Find out the answer

Which continent represents 18% of the world's population but consumes less than 6% of the world's energy?

Africa.

Find out the answer

Comment

The consumption of a geographical area is related to the number of inhabitants, but highly significant differences are sometimes observed that reflect the inequalities in living standards and development:  

The EU (606 million inhabitants) consumes almost twice as much energy as Africa (1.5 billion inhabitants).

The United States (303 million inhabitants) consumes half as much energy again as the amount consumed by the EU (606 million inhabitants).

World CO₂ Emissions

CO₂ emissions are closely linked to the consumption of fossil fuels, particularly in transport, housing and industry. They tend to slow down or decrease during periods of slower economic growth.

Here is the evolution between 2000 and 2022. Quantities emitted are expressed in millions of tonnes of CO₂.  

*Source : EU Energy in figures*
In millions of tons of CO₂	2000	2010	2019	2020	2021	2022	Share of Global Emissions
UE at 27	3,264	3,137	2,654	2,397	2,569	2,517	7%
China	3,119	7,845	9,958	10,038	10,609	10,644	31%
United States	5 730	5,352	4,745	4,258	4,549	4,608	14%
Asia except China	5,041	7,140	8,878	8,551	8,990	9,332	27%
Africa	661	1,022	1,246	1,199	1,262	1,262	4%
World	23,235	30,583	32,308	30,881	32,690	32,986	100%

For 2023, the figures (unconsolidated) showed a further increase of 1.1%. However, the notes that the increase no longer follows that of global GDP, which means that emissions have “decoupled” from growth. In any case, this increase is completely incompatible with the goal of carbon neutrality by 2050.

Comments on the table:

China has become the world's biggest emitter of CO₂: it emits more than twice as much as the US and four times as much as the EU.

EU emissions are decreasing thanks to improved  and energy-saving solutions. The significant decrease in the United States has been boosted by the gradual shift from  to gas in the production of

If the emissions are compared to the number of inhabitants, an African emits 14 times less than an American.

World CO₂ emissions decreased in 2020. The decrease in emissions however, is due essentially to the Covid pandemic which generated a drop in world economic growth.

How much of the world's emissions does Asia as a whole (China, India, Japan, Indonesia, etc.) generates?

58%

Find out the answer

Who emits more CO₂ between Africa and the European Union?

The European Union emits twice as much.

Find out the answer

Comment

A territory’s emissions do not always reflect its actual “ ”. For example, China produces a lot of export goods, which are consumed in Europe and the United States, but the CO₂ emissions they generated are attributed to China.  So the carbon footprint for Europe is approximately 30% higher than the footprint generated by its local consumption.