Average carbon footprint in Czech Republic

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~7.0 tCO2e / person / year

Czech Republic's per-person footprint is about ~7.0 tCO2e/year (latest available). This is national emissions divided by population and helps compare countries on a per-person basis. Check yours to see how you compare.

See also: Europe overview

Compare Czech Republic with Austria

Emissions overview

Czech Republic emits around 7.0 tonnes of CO₂ per person per year (latest available data).

Czech Republic is about 33% above the median CO₂ per person across Europe.

Consumption-based emissions are higher than domestic emissions, indicating imported carbon footprint.

Electricity generation remains relatively carbon-intensive.

Electricity relies heavily on fossil fuels.

The average resident of Czech Republic contributes approximately ~7.0 tCO2e / person / year annually to the country's carbon footprint. This is about 47% above the global median of ~4.7 tCO2e per person. Globally, Czech Republic ranks around #15 on a per-capita basis.

Snapshot

Czech Republic emits about 7.0 tCO2e per person per year (territorial emissions). That places it around #15 globally, which is considered high on a per-person basis.

This is about 47% above the global median of ~4.7 tCO2e per person. Within Europe, Czech Republic ranks around #4 and sits about 32% above the regional median of ~5.3.

Population is roughly 10.9 million (2024).

GDP per capita is approximately $31,823 (2024).

Urban population is around 73% (2024).

Electricity renewables share is roughly ~17% of electricity.

Grid carbon intensity is roughly ~401 gCO2/kWh.

How to interpret this number

Per-capita emissions divide a country's total CO₂ output by its population. That lets us compare nations fairly regardless of size. A large country with high total emissions can still have low per-person emissions if its population is very large.

Globally, the main sectors driving emissions are electricity and heat, transport, industry, buildings, and food. The mix varies by country: colder climates often use more heating; car-dependent societies have higher transport emissions; industrial economies tend to show more industry-related CO₂.

For Czech Republic, with high per-capita emissions, the gap to global and climate targets is substantial. Decoupling economic activity from emissions—through clean energy, efficiency, and behavior change—is the main pathway to reduction.

What usually drives emissions here

GDP per capita is roughly $31,823 (2024). Economic activity typically drives emissions through industry, transport, and residential energy use. The pace of electrification and clean energy deployment will shape future trajectories.

Around 73% of the population lives in urban areas (2024). Urbanization can affect transport patterns, building density, and heating and cooling demand. Denser cities often support public transit and district heating; sprawl tends to increase car dependency and per-capita emissions.

Grid carbon intensity is relatively high, which means electrifying transport and heating yields smaller emission cuts until the electricity mix decarbonizes. Cleaner grids amplify the benefit of EVs and heat pumps.

Territorial emissions count CO₂ produced within national borders. Consumption-based emissions attribute CO₂ to where goods are consumed. Both perspectives matter for understanding the full carbon footprint.

Territorial vs consumption-based emissions

Territorial emissions count CO₂ produced within a country's borders. Consumption-based emissions attribute CO₂ to the country where goods and services are consumed, including imports. Czech Republic's per-capita figure above is territorial (~7.0 tCO2e/person/year). Consumption-based data for Czech Republic is around ~9.3 tCO2e/person/year, indicating imported carbon footprint. Both perspectives matter for understanding the full impact.

What could reduce per-capita emissions

Targeted actions depend on the country's starting point. For Czech Republic, with high per-capita emissions, potential levers include:

  • Expanding public transit and active mobility
  • Improving building insulation and energy efficiency
  • Increasing renewable share in electricity generation
  • Switching to renewable electricity and heat pumps for heating
  • Electrifying industrial heating and process heat
  • Shifting diets toward less carbon-intensive foods
  • Reducing car use and choosing electric vehicles
  • Reducing food waste along the supply chain
  • Retrofitting older buildings with heat pumps
  • Phasing out coal and fossil gas in power generation
  • Improving industrial process efficiency
  • Cutting down on air travel and long-haul freight

Data sources

  • World Bank: SP.POP.TOTL (2024)
  • World Bank: NY.GDP.PCAP.CD (2024)
  • World Bank: SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS (2024)
  • CO₂ per capita, emissions: OWID (2025)
  • Electricity intensity & renewables: OWID (2025)

Compare with your result

Latest data

CO₂ per capita
~7.0 tCO2e / person / year (2025)
Consumption-based CO₂ per capita
~9.3 tCO2e/person/yr (2025)
Electricity CO₂e intensity
~401 gCO2/kWh (2025)
Renewables share in electricity
~17% of electricity (2025)

Note: electricity intensity is shown in CO₂e per kWh; per-capita figures above are CO₂ only.

Values are taken from publicly available datasets; coverage and latest year vary by metric.

Electricity & carbon profile

This shows how clean the country's electricity mix is. A higher renewable share usually means lower grid carbon intensity.

Non-renewables• Largest share

83%

Renewables17%
Non-renewables83%
Grid carbon intensity401 gCO₂/kWh

Moderate carbon intensity

Estimated total emissions75.6 Mt

What drives it

  • Coal in electricity and district heating
  • Transport
  • Industry and manufacturing
  • Residential heating
  • Agriculture

Climate & policy

  • Coal phase-out planned; nuclear and renewables expanding
  • EU climate targets apply
  • Energy transition underway

Typical household

  • Coal and gas common for heating; district heating in cities
  • Electricity mix carbon-intensive; efficiency helps

Related countries

Closest countries by CO2 per capita and regional context.

Sources

Last updated: 2026-02-23

Region median computed from available OWID country data shown on this site.

FAQ

Is Czech Republic above the global median CO2 per capita?
Yes. Czech Republic is about 47% above the global median of ~4.7 tCO2e per person.
Does CO2 per capita include imported goods?
The main figure on this page is territorial (production-based): it counts CO₂ emitted within the country's borders. It does not include emissions embedded in imported goods. Consumption-based metrics do include those; we show consumption-based data when available.
Why can small countries rank very high?
Per-capita emissions divide total national emissions by population. Small countries with high energy use—often due to industry, refining, or data centers—can rank very high even if their absolute emissions are modest. Luxembourg and Qatar are examples.
How often is this data updated?
Data comes from Our World in Data, World Bank, and Ember. Coverage and latest year vary by metric. The main emissions figure typically reflects the most recent year in the source dataset.
What is the average carbon footprint in Czech Republic?
About 7.0 tCO2e per person per year (territorial emissions).
How does Czech Republic compare to the Europe median?
About 32% above the Europe median.