What percentage of global greenhouse gas emissions does the Congo Republic produce?
The Congo Republic produced 0.04% of global greenhouse gas emissions in 2021 (the latest date with complete emissions data). This amounted to 17.8m metric tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, or MtCO₂e. These emissions represented a decrease from 2020 by -5.6%.
In the period from 1990 to 2021 their emissions have increased by a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2% and the Congo Republic has contributed 0.04% of global greenhouse emissions.
| Country | the Congo Republic |
|---|---|
| Population | 5.66m | Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in USD | $12.5bn |
| Total Greenhouse Gas Emissions in 2021 | 17.8m |
| Change in Emissions since 2020 | -5.6% |
| Percentage of Total Emissions (2021) | 0.04% |
| Rank – Emitters in 2021 | 124 |
| Total Greenhouse Gas Emissions since 1990 | 427m |
| Compound Annual Growth – Emissions since 1990 | 2% |
| Percentage of Total Emissions (1990-2021) | 0.04% | GDP Per Capita (USD) | $2.21k |
| Emissions Per Capita | 3.1 |
In 2021, the Congo Republic was the world’s 124th largest producer of greenhouse gas emissions. The largest emitters in the same period were China, the United States, India, Russia and Brazil.
When looking at emissions over time the Congo Republic is the 128th largest emitter since 1990.
Emissions per capita in The Congo Republic – average household carbon footprint
The population of the Congo Republic is 5.66m. On a per capita basis, they produce 3.1 tonnes of CO2e per person, placing them 120th out of 191 on emissions produced per capita. The biggest per capita emitters are Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Turkmenistan.
What is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the Congo Republic?
Gases
39% of emissions in the Congo Republic came from Carbon Dioxide (CO2), 48.2% came from Methane (CH4), and 8.6% came from Nitrous Oxide (N2O).
Sectors
The sector that produced the most emissions in 2021 was the energy industry, producing 13.3m of GHG emissions, constituting 74.9% of total.
The second and third largest emitting sectors were land-use change and forestry and agriculture, producing 56% and 14.8% of total GHG in the Congo Republic.
Energy
The industry that produced the most energy related emissions was the fugitive emissions industry, producing 9.14m of GHG emissions, constituting 51.4% of total emissions.
The second and third largest emitting sectors were electricity/heat and transportation, emitting 2.3m and 1.24m tonnes of GHG each.
Land Use Change and Forestry
Land use change and forestry (LUCF), such as deforestation and conversion of natural ecosystems to agricultural or urban areas, can have a significant impact on carbon emissions.
- Trees and other vegetation absorb and store carbon through the process of photosynthesis, and when they are cut down or burned, that stored carbon is released into the atmosphere.
- Deforestation and other forms of land use change can also reduce the ability of ecosystems to absorb and store carbon in the future. Additionally, the conversion of land for agriculture or urban development can lead to the release of carbon stored in the soil.
- On the other hand, sustainable forestry practices, such as reforestation and afforestation, can help to remove carbon from the atmosphere and store it in trees and other vegetation.
In the case of the Congo Republic, LUCF had a negative impact on the Congo Republic’s emissions, increasing their carbon footprint by 9.95m tonnes.
After accounting for land use change and forestry, the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions in the Congo Republic in 2021 was 27.7m metric tonnes.
How vulnerable is the Congo Republic to the impact of climate change?
The Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative (ND-GAIN) Index
The ND-GAIN Index measures countries’ vulnerability to global challenges, including climate change, and their readiness to improve resilience.
The Congo Republic scores 35 on the ND-Gain Index and is classified in the
The index aims to assist businesses, governments, and communities in prioritising investments for a more efficient response to global shifts.
It is measured by combining two main components:
- Vulnerability: This evaluates a country’s vulnerability to environmental risks and its ability to adapt. It considers health, food and water availability, infrastructure, and ecosystem services. A higher score indicates greater vulnerability to environmental challenges.
- Readiness: This measures how well a country can leverage investments to mitigate climate change. It considers economic stability, governance, technology, and infrastructure. A higher score means a country is better prepared to implement resilience strategies.
This ranking helps identify areas where resources and adaptation strategies can be most effectively directed to mitigate risks and enhance resilience.
By combining these dimensions, the index provides a comprehensive approach to measuring countries’ ability to cope with the impacts of climate change.
High vulnerability and low readiness in the Congo Republic
In terms of readiness to adapt to climate change, The Congo Republic ranks in the bottom 5% group. Globally, the average readiness score is 0.424, with the Congo Republic posting a score of 0.224.
They show the greatest strength in governance aspects, while their performance in economic aspects requires improvement.
- Governance readiness refers to the political, legal, and regulatory aspects influencing a country’s adaptation to climate change, including stability, corruption control, and law enforcement.
- Economic readiness refers to the business environment and its capacity to adapt to climate change, emphasizing the importance of a supportive regulatory framework for adaptation initiatives.
Regarding vulnerability to climate change, The Congo Republic falls into the bottom 25% category. Compared to the global average vulnerability score of 0.431, the Congo Republic has a score of 0.525.
Their resilience is most notable in infrastructure areas, yet they face significant challenges in habitat.
- Infrastructure vulnerability refers to the weaknesses in the coastal protection, transportation, and energy systems, which are critical for building resilience against climate change. Coastal protection safeguards land and ports from rising sea levels and storms. Reliable transportation infrastructure is essential for corporate value chains and can be disrupted by extreme weather. Energy infrastructure resilience ensures a continuous supply of energy during natural disasters, maintaining economic stability.
- Human habitat refers to the growth of cities and their capacity to withstand climate change impacts like floods and heatwaves. Improved infrastructure enhances urban resilience to extreme weather events.
The formula to calculate the ND-GAIN Index is
GAIN Index=(Readiness Indicators−Vulnerability Indicators+1)×50GAIN Index=(Readiness Indicators−Vulnerability Indicators+1)×50
In this formula:
- The Readiness Indicators are measured on a scale of 0 to 1, where a higher score means that the readiness is better.
- The Vulnerability Indicators are also measured on a scale of 0 to 1, but a lower score indicates better vulnerability in this case.
- The difference between the Readiness and Vulnerability scores is calculated and then incremented by 1.
- Finally, the result is multiplied by 50 to convert the GAIN Index score to a range of 0-100, where a higher score means the situation is better.
Is there a correlation between greenhouse gas emissions and economic growth in the Congo Republic?
In 2021, the gross domestic product (GDP) in the Congo Republic grew by 29.3% from the previous year, with the economy moving from $11.5bn to $14.8bn. During the same period, carbon emissions decreased by -5.6%. Over the ten-year period from 2011 to 2021, GDP declined -5.3%, while emissions increased by 7.7%.
To put this into context, the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of GDP in the Congo Republic over the past ten years was -0.54%, and the CAGR for greenhouse gas emissions was 0.75%.