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Switzerland vs United Kingdom

32 metrics with data for both countries. The solid line is Switzerland; the dashed grey line is United Kingdom.

Country A · Switzerland
Country B · United Kingdom

Climate

CO2 emissions

Switzerland: 32.1 Mt CO2/year · 2024United Kingdom: 312.9 Mt CO2/year · 2024
0200400600190019502000United Kingdomhigh 1973

Carbon dioxide released each year from burning fossil fuels and industry. The main driver of global warming. Global Carbon Budget via Our World in Data

CO2 emissions per person

Switzerland: 3.60 t CO2/person/year · 2024United Kingdom: 4.53 t CO2/person/year · 2024
0510190019502000United Kingdomhigh 1973

Each person's share of their country's yearly CO2 emissions. A fairer way to compare countries of very different sizes. Global Carbon Budget via Our World in Data

Temperature anomaly

Switzerland: 1.20 °C vs 1991-2020 · 2025United Kingdom: 0.94 °C vs 1991-2020 · 2025
-2019401960198020002020United Kingdomhigh 2022

How much warmer or cooler a country's year was compared with its 1991-2020 average. Watch the map turn red as you move the slider towards today. Copernicus Climate Change Service (ERA5) via Our World in Data

Methane emissions

Switzerland: 6.03 Mt CO2e/year · 2024United Kingdom: 43.8 Mt CO2e/year · 2024
0501001501850190019502000United Kingdomhigh 1974

Methane traps around 80 times more heat than CO2 over 20 years. It comes mainly from livestock, rice, landfill and leaky fossil fuel infrastructure. Global Carbon Project / PRIMAP via Our World in Data

All greenhouse gases

Switzerland: 40.1 Mt CO2e/year · 2024United Kingdom: 390.3 Mt CO2e/year · 2024
05001850190019502000United Kingdomhigh 1973low 1859

Every warming gas combined: CO2, methane and nitrous oxide, expressed as CO2-equivalents. Jones et al. / PRIMAP via Our World in Data

Nitrous oxide emissions

Switzerland: 2.19 Mt CO2e/year · 2024United Kingdom: 28.1 Mt CO2e/year · 2024
020401850190019502000United Kingdomhigh 1980

N2O is nearly 300 times more warming than CO2 and comes mostly from fertilised farmland and livestock. Jones et al. / PRIMAP via Our World in Data

Consumption-based CO2

Switzerland: 118.3 Mt CO2/year · 2023United Kingdom: 487.1 Mt CO2/year · 2023
05001990200020102020United Kingdomhigh 2012low 1999

CO2 counted where goods are used rather than where they are made. Compare with production emissions to see who imports their footprint. Global Carbon Budget via Our World in Data

Aviation emissions per person

Switzerland: 598.0 kg CO2/person/year · 2024United Kingdom: 481.9 kg CO2/person/year · 2024
0200400600201420162018202020222024United Kingdom

Each person's share of the CO2 from flights taking off in their country, including passengers and freight. ICCT / Graver et al. via Our World in Data

Energy

Renewable energy share

Switzerland: 39.9 % of primary energy · 2024United Kingdom: 21.3 % of primary energy · 2024
02040197019801990200020102020United Kingdomhigh 1967low 1996

The slice of a country's energy that comes from renewables such as wind, solar and hydro. Energy Institute Statistical Review via Our World in Data

Fossil fuel share

Switzerland: 43.2 % of primary energy · 2024United Kingdom: 73.5 % of primary energy · 2024
050100197019801990200020102020United Kingdomhigh 1972

The slice of a country's energy still coming from coal, oil and gas. The number the world is trying to shrink. Energy Institute Statistical Review via Our World in Data

Energy use per person

Switzerland: 38,026 kWh/person/year · 2024United Kingdom: 28,016 kWh/person/year · 2024
020k40k197019801990200020102020United Kingdomhigh 2001

How much energy each person uses in a year, across electricity, transport, heating and industry. Energy Institute / Ember via Our World in Data

Solar electricity

Switzerland: 12.1 % of electricity · 2025United Kingdom: 6.61 % of electricity · 2025
05101990200020102020United Kingdom

The share of a country's electricity generated from solar panels. The fastest-growing energy source in history. Ember / Energy Institute via Our World in Data

Wind electricity

Switzerland: 0.21 % of electricity · 2025United Kingdom: 29.4 % of electricity · 2025
01020301990200020102020United Kingdomhigh 2022

The share of a country's electricity generated from wind turbines, onshore and offshore. Ember / Energy Institute via Our World in Data

Coal electricity

Switzerland: 0.00 % of electricity · 2025United Kingdom: 0.11 % of electricity · 2025
0204060200020052010201520202025United Kingdom

The share of electricity still generated by burning coal, the most polluting fuel. The number that must reach zero first. Ember / Energy Institute via Our World in Data

Electric car sales

Switzerland: 34.0 % of new cars · 2025United Kingdom: 35.0 % of new cars · 2025
0102030201520202025United Kingdom

The share of newly sold cars that are electric. Norway crossed 90% in the early 2020s; most of the world is following. International Energy Agency via Our World in Data

Oil electricity

Switzerland: 1.89 % of electricity · 2025United Kingdom: 4.37 % of electricity · 2025
051015200020052010201520202025United Kingdomhigh 2005low 2024

The share of a country's electricity generated by burning oil. Rare on big grids, still common on islands. Ember via Our World in Data

Gas electricity

Switzerland: 0.41 % of electricity · 2025United Kingdom: 31.1 % of electricity · 2025
02040200020052010201520202025United Kingdomhigh 2010low 2024

The share of a country's electricity generated from natural gas, the least polluting fossil fuel but still a fossil fuel. Ember via Our World in Data

Land & Life

Tree cover loss

Switzerland: 4,131 ha/year · 2024United Kingdom: 22,786 ha/year · 2024
020k40k2005201020152020United Kingdomlow 2003

Forest area lost each year to fire, logging, farming and storms. Not all loss is permanent deforestation, but the trend matters. Global Forest Watch (Hansen/UMD) via Our World in Data

Forest area

Switzerland: 32.1 % of land · 2025United Kingdom: 13.5 % of land · 2025
01020301990200020102020United Kingdom

How much of a country's land is covered by forest. FAO via Our World in Data

Deaths from natural disasters

Switzerland: 16.3 deaths/year · 2021United Kingdom: 1.02 deaths/year · 2021
010203020002005201020152020United Kingdomlow 2018

People killed by floods, storms, droughts, heatwaves, earthquakes and other disasters each year. Single events dominate single years. IHME Global Burden of Disease via Our World in Data

Red List Index

Switzerland: 0.96 index (1 = species safe) · 2024United Kingdom: 0.97 index (1 = species safe) · 2024
00.51200020102020United Kingdomlow 2022

Tracks extinction risk across all assessed species. 1 means no species at risk; falling values mean wildlife sliding towards extinction. IUCN / SDG 15.5.1 via Our World in Data

Protected land

Switzerland: 12.5 % of land area · 2024United Kingdom: 28.4 % of land area · 2024
0102030201420162018202020222024United Kingdom

The share of a country's land under legal protection for nature. The global 30x30 target aims for 30% by 2030. World Bank / UNEP-WCMC via Our World in Data

Meat supply per person

Switzerland: 64.0 kg/person/year · 2023United Kingdom: 84.4 kg/person/year · 2023
050198020002020United Kingdomhigh 1986

Meat available for consumption per person. Livestock drives around 15% of global emissions and most deforestation. FAO via Our World in Data

Nitrogen fertiliser use

Switzerland: 66.2 kg N/ha of cropland · 2023United Kingdom: 114.5 kg N/ha of cropland · 2023
0100200198020002020United Kingdomhigh 1987

Nitrogen applied per hectare of cropland. It feeds half the world, but runoff chokes rivers and coastal seas. FAO via Our World in Data

Urban population

Switzerland: 85.7 % living in cities · 2025United Kingdom: 83.3 % living in cities · 2025
0501960198020002020United Kingdom

The share of people living in towns and cities. Urbanisation shapes energy use, land use and how people experience climate change. UN World Urbanization Prospects via Our World in Data

Water

Water stress

Switzerland: 6.50 % of renewable resources withdrawn · 2022United Kingdom: 14.3 % of renewable resources withdrawn · 2022
0102020002005201020152020United Kingdomlow 2014

How much of a country's renewable freshwater is withdrawn each year. Above 25% counts as stressed; above 100% means drawing down reserves. FAO AQUASTAT (SDG 6.4.2) via Our World in Data

Renewable water per person

Switzerland: 4,603 m³/person/year · 2022United Kingdom: 2,145 m³/person/year · 2022
05k198020002020United Kingdom

Each person's share of the country's renewable freshwater. Below 1,700 m³ is water stress; below 1,000 m³ is scarcity. FAO AQUASTAT via Our World in Data

Safely managed drinking water

Switzerland: 96.7 % of population · 2024United Kingdom: 99.8 % of population · 2024
05010020002005201020152020United Kingdomlow 2001

The share of people with safe drinking water at home, available when needed and free from contamination. WHO/UNICEF JMP via Our World in Data

Annual precipitation

Switzerland: 1,537 mm/year · 2025United Kingdom: 962.5 mm/year · 2025
01k2k19401960198020002020United Kingdomhigh 1999low 1943

Total rain and snow that fell over a country in a year, averaged across its land area. Copernicus Climate Change Service (ERA5) via Our World in Data

Rainfall anomaly

Switzerland: -4.60 % vs 1961-1990 · 2025United Kingdom: -2.00 % vs 1961-1990 · 2025
-2002019401960198020002020United Kingdomhigh 1999low 1943

How much wetter (teal) or drier (brown) a country's year was compared with its 1961-1990 average. A simple drought and deluge signal. Derived from Copernicus ERA5 precipitation via Our World in Data

Safely managed sanitation

Switzerland: 99.7 % of population · 2024United Kingdom: 97.8 % of population · 2024
05010020002005201020152020United Kingdomlow 2001

The share of people whose toilet waste is safely treated rather than left to contaminate water and soil. WHO/UNICEF JMP via Our World in Data

Pollution

Air pollution (PM2.5)

Switzerland: 9.00 µg/m³ annual mean · 2024United Kingdom: 8.80 µg/m³ annual mean · 2024
05101520002005201020152020United Kingdomhigh 2003low 2020

Average exposure to fine particles small enough to enter the bloodstream. The WHO guideline is 5 µg/m³. World Bank / van Donkelaar et al. via Our World in Data