Saint Helena

Country profile

CO2 emissions per person
2.17
t CO2/person/year · 2024
130th of 213 countries
Temperature anomaly
0.00
°C vs 1991-2020 · 2025
186th of 193 countries
Air pollution (PM2.5)
4.10
µg/m³ annual mean · 2024
219th of 241 countries
19402025

Saint Helena 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 2024low 1956

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

0.01 Mt CO2/year · 2024
+0.0% since 1994211th highest of 215 · 2024
00.010.010.02197019801990200020102020high 2016

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

2.17 t CO2/person/year · 2024
+27% since 1994130th highest of 213 · 2024
012197019801990200020102020high 2019low 1987

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

0.00 °C vs 1991-2020 · 2025
-0.0 °C since 1995186th highest of 193 · 2025
-0.500.519401960198020002020Worldhigh 2024low 1956

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

0.00 Mt CO2e/year · 2024
+0.0% since 1994197th highest of 199 · 2024
00001850190019502000high 1982

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

0.01 Mt CO2e/year · 2024
+7.1% since 1994198th highest of 199 · 2024
00.010.010.021850190019502000high 2016

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

0.00 Mt CO2e/year · 2024
+0.0% since 1994196th highest of 201 · 2024
0001850190019502000high 1946

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

Energy

Energy use per person

9,813 kWh/person/year · 2023
+401% since 1993126th highest of 216 · 2023
05k10k19801990200020102020high 2019low 1984

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

0.00 % of electricity · 2023
+0.0 pp since 2000174th highest of 210 · 2023
-10120002005201020152020

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 · 2023
+0.0 pp since 2000110th highest of 207 · 2023
-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 · 2023
+0.0 pp since 200085th highest of 207 · 2023
-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

100.0 % of electricity · 2023
+0.0 pp since 20001st highest of 210 · 2023
05010020002005201020152020

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 · 2023
+0.0 pp since 2000118th highest of 203 · 2023
-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

Water

Safely managed drinking water

98.4 % of population · 2024
+18 pp since 200240th highest of 159 · 2024
0501002005201020152020Worldhigh 2021low 2011

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

Land & Life

Red List Index

0.64 index (1 = species safe) · 2024
+1.6% since 1994230th highest of 244 · 2024
00.20.40.6200020102020high 2007

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

Urban population

37.2 % living in cities · 2025
-3.9 pp since 1995191st highest of 236 · 2025
02040601960198020002020World

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

Pollution

Air pollution (PM2.5)

4.10 µg/m³ annual mean · 2024
-2.4% since 1998219th highest of 241 · 2024
010203020002005201020152020Worldhigh 2011low 2001

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

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.