Cook Islands

Country profile

CO2 emissions per person
5.82
t CO2/person/year · 2024
56th of 213 countries
Temperature anomaly
0.17
°C vs 1991-2020 · 2025
173rd of 193 countries
Air pollution (PM2.5)
3.30
µg/m³ annual mean · 2024
233rd of 241 countries
19402025

Cook Islands in stripes: every year since 1940, blue cooler than the 1991-2020 average, red hotter.

The future under three scenarios

Temperature vs 1991-2020, observed and projected to 2100

021950200020502100Low · SSP1-2.6Middle · SSP2-4.5High · SSP5-8.5high 2021low 1958

Solid line: observed (Copernicus ERA5). Dashed lines: CMIP6 multi-model median under three IPCC emissions scenarios, anchored to the observed 2015-2024 average, from the World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal. Scenarios are futures the world can still choose between, not predictions.

Climate

CO2 emissions

0.08 Mt CO2/year · 2024
+82% since 1994205th highest of 215 · 2024
00.05197019801990200020102020high 2012

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

5.82 t CO2/person/year · 2024
+135% since 199456th highest of 213 · 2024
0246197019801990200020102020low 1971

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

0.17 °C vs 1991-2020 · 2025
+0.3 °C since 1995173rd highest of 193 · 2025
-1-0.500.519401960198020002020Worldhigh 2021low 1958

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

0.01 Mt CO2e/year · 2024
-18% since 1994193rd highest of 199 · 2024
00.010.021850190019502000high 1998

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

0.09 Mt CO2e/year · 2024
+37% since 1994195th highest of 199 · 2024
00.051850190019502000high 2014

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

0.01 Mt CO2e/year · 2024
+0.0% since 1994193rd highest of 201 · 2024
0001850190019502000high 1994

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

Aviation emissions per person

3,947 kg CO2/person/year · 2024
+43% since 20131st highest of 119 · 2024
02k4k201420162018202020222024World

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

Energy use per person

30,724 kWh/person/year · 2023
+195% since 199358th highest of 216 · 2023
010k20k30k19801990200020102020

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

50.0 % of electricity · 2024
+50 pp since 20001st highest of 195 · 2024
0204020002005201020152020high 2021

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

0.00 % of electricity · 2024
+0.0 pp since 2000106th highest of 193 · 2024
-10120002005201020152020

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

Coal electricity

0.00 % of electricity · 2024
+0.0 pp since 200081st highest of 194 · 2024
-10120002005201020152020

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

Oil electricity

50.0 % of electricity · 2024
-50 pp since 200046th highest of 195 · 2024
05010020002005201020152020low 2021

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

0.00 % of electricity · 2024
+0.0 pp since 2000117th highest of 192 · 2024
-10120002005201020152020

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

Deaths from natural disasters

0.00 deaths/year · 2021
89th highest of 194 · 2021
-10120002005201020152020

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

0.79 index (1 = species safe) · 2024
-3.7% since 1994172nd highest of 244 · 2024
00.5200020102020high 1995low 2021

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

Nitrogen fertiliser use

5.26 kg N/ha of cropland · 2023
+24% since 2002155th highest of 198 · 2023
0510152005201020152020high 2016low 2007

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

76.9 % living in cities · 2025
+18 pp since 199584th highest of 236 · 2025
0501960198020002020World

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

Annual precipitation

1,504 mm/year · 2025
-13% since 199551st highest of 192 · 2025
01k2k19401960198020002020Worldhigh 1942low 1998

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

-12.3 % vs 1961-1990 · 2025
-13 pp since 1995124th highest of 192 · 2025
05019401960198020002020Worldhigh 1942low 1998

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

Pollution

Air pollution (PM2.5)

3.30 µg/m³ annual mean · 2024
+10.0% since 1998233rd highest of 241 · 2024
010203020002005201020152020Worldhigh 2020low 2021

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

Ozone-depleting substances

0.00 ODP tonnes/year · 2021
-100% since 1991142nd highest of 168 · 2021
01231990200020102020low 1999

Consumption of chemicals that destroy the ozone layer. Watch the map fade towards zero: the Montreal Protocol is the world's most successful environmental treaty. UN Environment Programme via Our World in Data

What can one person do?

  • Fly less
    One long-haul return flight can outweigh a year of other savings. Swap one flight for a train trip or a call.
  • Eat more plants
    Shifting towards a plant-rich diet is one of the largest steady cuts a person can make, and it starts with single meals.
  • Travel without a car where you can
    Walking, cycling and public transport beat an electric car; an electric car beats petrol.
  • Use your voice
    Personal footprints matter, but system change matters more. Vote, ask your employer and bank what they are doing, and talk about it.

Based on the highest-impact personal actions identified by Wynes & Nicholas (2017) and the IPCC's AR6 report on demand-side mitigation.