The Sunstone Energy Transition Score shows which nations extract the most fossil fuels per capita. Which countries do you think it is?
It measures the total amount of oil, coal and gas a country extracts from its territory. We then convert that amount into a ‘CO2 score.’ In essence, this figure shows exactly how much carbon dioxide every person in that country is responsible for pulling out of the earth.
To ensure transparency, this overview is based entirely on the official figures that the countries report themselves.
Focusing on what a country exports, or the supply, reveals the reality of the global situation in three specific ways:
Below, you can explore the development of the 10 countries producing the most fossil fuels per capita over time. The figure is based on a weighted combination of oil, gas, and coal production, divided by population. The rationale for this weighting is provided in the methodology report.
This metric highlights how much a country depends on fossil fuel production and how involved it is in carbon-intensive energy extraction. It is especially useful for understanding the challenges facing major fossil fuel producers in the energy transition.
Tracking these changes helps us understand whether countries are moving away from fossil fuel dependence or becoming more deeply tied to it.
The Sunstone Institute Energy Transition Leaderboard ranks countries by their performance in advancing towards carbon neutrality. The following version of the leaderboard focuses on fossil fuel production per capita. The countries at the bottom of the list produce the most per capita.
A countdown of the 10 countries producing the most fossil fuels per capita
35.6 Tonnes C02 Equivalent per Capita
An oil field burns in the background during the first round of the 2026 Bahrain Championship at the Royal Golf Club. Fossil fuel production is the industry that has driven the nation’s economy. Bahrain, one of the world's most densely populated countries with 1.6 million residents, discovered oil in the early 1930s. Today, oil accounts for 70 per cent of government revenue and produces nearly 200,000 barrels per day, making it central to Bahrain's economic base.
42.4 Tonnes C02 Equivalent per Capita
People celebrate Eid in Muscat, Oman, as oil tankers arrive at the Sultan Qaboos Port. This industry has been the backbone of the Omani economy since the 1960s; today, the nation’s 5.2 million residents rely on the daily production of 1 million barrels of oil, which funds up to 80 per cent of the state budget.
46.4 Tonnes C02 Equivalent per Capita
Climate protesters in costumes gathered at Horseshoe Beach on November 30, 2025, to halt coal shipments from the Newcastle coal port. The protest, involving thousands of activists in kayaks, underscores the importance of fossil fuel exports to Australia's economy, where coal and gas have been key industries since the 1960s. Australia, home to 27 million people, remains one of the world's largest exporters of liquefied natural gas (LNG). While the country produces just under 500,000 barrels of oil per day, it is the massive export of coal and gas that continues to drive national revenue.
50.1 Tonnes C02 Equivalent per Capita
Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates a goal in the football match between Al Nassr and Al Najmah on April 3, 2026. The Saudi state has utilised its massive investment fund, built up from fossil fuel revenues, to make the country's football league among the best in the world. Signing famous football players like Ronaldo is part of this strategy. Since 1938, the oil industry has been the primary economic driver for this nation of 37 million, currently funding up to 80 per cent of the government’s revenue through daily production of over 9 million barrels.
60.2 Tonnes C02 Equivalent per Capita
Dubai Marina stands as a prominent symbol of the economic development driven by the United Arab Emirates' vast energy resources. Since 1958, oil and gas production has laid the foundation for the federation’s wealth; today, the nation produces over 3.2 million barrels of crude oil per day. While the country of 10 million people has made significant strides in diversifying its economy, oil and gas sales still fund up to 60 per cent of the state budget.
61.6 Tonnes C02 Equivalent per Capita
Strategically located between Russia and China, Mongolia relies on its vast natural resources to support a population of 3.5 million. Coal exports have become the backbone of the state budget, accounting for over 80 per cent of the country's export earnings. By ramping up production to over 50 million tons annually, Mongolia has become a global coal superpower on a per-capita basis. This scale far outweighs its daily crude oil production of nearly 20,000 barrels. This industrial activity remains the driving force behind the development of the nation and its capital, Ulaanbaatar.
72.8 Tonnes C02 Equivalent per Capita
Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and President Xi Jinping meet in Beijing, a diplomatic engagement driven by Brunei’s status as a key energy producer in the South China Sea. The sultanate of 460,000 people derives up to 90 per cent of its revenue from oil and gas, an industry that has defined its wealth since the first discovery in 1929. Today, Brunei produces nearly 100,000 barrels of oil daily and remains a major exporter of LNG.
80.7 Tonnes C02 Equivalent per Capita
The Al Wafra oil field is a strategic site in the Neutral Zone shared by Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. For Kuwait, a nation of 4.3 million people, such fields are the lifeblood of the economy, providing 90 per cent of the state's revenue through a daily production of 2.4 million barrels of crude oil. This industry has defined the country since 1938, though Kuwait now occupies a rare position in the global market: it is both a major energy producer and one of the world's largest importers of LNG, which it imports to sustain the massive energy requirements of its domestic infrastructure.
84.3 Tonnes C02 Equivalent per Capita
The Melkøya LNG terminal near Hammerfest underscores Norway’s status as the world’s second-largest producer of fossil fuels per capita. For this nation of 5.6 million, the oil and gas industry has been the foundation of the welfare state since 1969, currently generating nearly half of all state revenue and producing over 2 million barrels of crude per day. Strategically located along the Atlantic as a key gateway to the Arctic, Norway has become Europe’s most vital gas supplier.
195.3 Tonnes C02 Equivalent per Capita
Women shop for jewellery at a gold shop in Doha, Qatar. Qatar’s economy is mainly built on its vast hydrocarbon resources, which fund up to 80 per cent of the state budget and make the peninsula one of the richest nations per capita. While diversification is a long-term goal, the oil and gas sectors remain the dominant drivers of GDP in this nation of 2.7 million. Qatar today produces nearly 600,000 barrels of oil daily and serves as a vital global supplier through its massive surplus of liquefied natural gas (LNG).