Human Activities Contributing to Emissions By Percentage
Here’s a list of human activities contributing to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, ranked by their percentage of total global emissions. Notice the top 10 human activities are responsible for around 75% of global emissions.
1. Coal power plants (~20%)
2. Road vehicles (cars, trucks, buses) (~12%)
3. Deforestation (~8%)
4. Cement production (~8%)
5. Natural gas power plants (~8%)
6. Livestock digestion (methane from enteric fermentation, mainly cattle) (~5-6%)
7. Beef production (~4%)
8. Steel production (~4%)
9. Oil refining and processing (~3%)
10. Gas flaring (~3%)
11. Decomposing organic waste in landfills (methane emissions) (~3%)
12. Heating and cooling in buildings (~3%)
13. Commercial aviation (~2%)
14. Maritime shipping (cargo and container ships) (~1.5-2%)
15. Synthetic fertilizer use (nitrous oxide emissions) (~2%)
16. Biomass burning (~2%)
17. Urban expansion and sprawl (~2%)
18. Dairy farming (~2%)
19. Fast fashion and consumer goods overproduction (~2%)
20. Rice cultivation (methane emissions) (~1.5%)
21. Methane leaks from oil and gas drilling and pipelines (~3%)
22. Private jets and luxury aviation (~0.5-1%)
23. Fishing vessels (~0.5%)
24. Chemical manufacturing (plastics, fertilizers, etc.) (~3%)
25. Wastewater treatment (CO₂ and nitrous oxide emissions) (~1%)
26. Oil-fired power plants (~3%)
27. Other livestock (pigs, poultry, sheep, etc.) (~1%)
28. Incineration of waste (~1%)
29. Peatland destruction (carbon release from drained wetlands) (~2%)
30. Residential and commercial electrical appliances (~2%)
31. Rail transport (~0.5%)
32. Meat and dairy manure management (methane emissions) (~2%)
33. Cattle ranching land use change (~2%)
34. Bottom trawling (carbon release from the seafloor) (~unknown, indirect impact)**
35. Urban construction and infrastructure development (~1-2%)
36. Deforestation for palm oil and soy production (~1-2%)
37. Non-cargo maritime emissions (cruise ships, tourism boats, etc.) (~1%)
38. Overfishing and disruption of ocean carbon sinks (~unknown, indirect impact)**
39. Agriculture-driven land use change (cropland expansion) (~1-2%)
40. Cement and concrete production in urban areas (~1-2%)
41. Coal mining methane emissions (~1%)
42. Plastic waste degradation and incineration (~1%)
43. Urban heating from concrete and asphalt surfaces (~<1%)
44. Excessive air conditioning use in hot climates (~<1%)
45. Shipping port emissions (idling cargo ships, unloading machinery) (~<1%)
46. Synthetic textile production (polyester, nylon, etc.) (~<1%)
47. Logging for timber and paper production (~<1%)
48. Luxury goods manufacturing (high-end cars, yachts, etc.) (~<1%)
49. Cryptocurrency mining (energy-intensive computing) (~<1%)
50. E-waste disposal and recycling emissions (~<1%)