An oil barrel located in the desert of Qatar

Energy Transition & Security

A global reality check: Who is pulling the most carbon out of the Earth?

Energy Transition & Security

A global reality check: Who is pulling the most carbon out of the Earth?

Published: March 31, 2026

The Sunstone Energy Transition Score shows which nations extract the most fossil fuels per capita. Which countries do you think it is?

Journalist: Amund Trellevik
Data Scientist: Zongchang Yang
Design/Development: Alicia Harris

What does this score show?

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.

The supply-side reality check

Focusing on what a country exports, or the supply, reveals the reality of the global situation in three specific ways:

It sees through ‘green labels’: A country might use clean energy to power its own homes, but still sell massive amounts of oil to other countries. This metric holds nations accountable for what they sell to the world, not just what they use within their own borders.
It exposes financial risk: The data shows how much of an individual citizen's wealth depends on the fossil fuel industry. If the world stops buying oil, these countries and their citizens face a big financial risk.
It finds the source of the problem: Most climate lists only look at who burns the fuel at the end of the chain. This list looks at who takes it out of the ground at the start. It measures the problem at its very beginning.

A nearby oil field burns during the first round of the Bahrain Championship 2026 at Royal Golf Club on January 29, 2026, in Bahrain.

People celebrate Eid while watching oil tankers sail into Muscat Anchorage near Sultan Qaboos Port on 22 March 2026 in Muscat. Oman’s economy relies heavily on oil production, which remains its primary source of revenue.

Climate protestors wearing costumes take part in a climate action protest at Horseshoe Beach on November 30, 2025, in Newcastle, Australia. The People's Blockade of the Newcastle coal port is a large-scale climate protest where thousands of activists, many in kayaks, attempt to halt coal shipments to demand action on fossil fuels and climate change.

In the remote expanse of the Rub’ al Khali (“Empty Quarter”) desert, flare stacks burn at the Shaybah oil field operated by Saudi Aramco, captured here in March 2003. These vast desert installations form part of Saudi Arabia’s oil industry, one of the largest and most influential in the world.

An evening aerial view of Dubai Marina, one of Dubai’s most prominent waterfront districts. The United Arab Emirates remains a significant producer of oil and natural gas, which underpin its economic development.

Winter landscape surrounding Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia. Mongolia ranks among the bottom ten countries for fossil fuel production per capita.

Brunei’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah (L) shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a signing ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on 6 February 2025. The Southeast Asian nation is a significant producer of oil and natural gas, which dominate its exports and state revenues.

The Al Wafra oil field, located in southern Kuwait near the Saudi border, is seen here on 26 February 2019. It forms part of the Neutral Zone, a jointly administered area where Kuwait and Saudi Arabia share oil production.

At the edge of Norway’s Arctic region, outside the town of Hammerfest, the LNG terminal at Melkøya dominates the surrounding landscape. Norway is the world’s second-largest producer of fossil fuels per capita.

The cornerstone of Qatar's economy is the exploitation of its hydrocarbon resources. While considerable efforts are being made to diversify to lessen the country's dependence on this natural resource, there is no doubt that the vast majority of the Gross Domestic Product is generated by oil and gas and their associated industrial activities.

The Bottom of the Barrel

A countdown of the 10 countries producing the most fossil fuels per capita

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Bahrain

35.6 Tonnes C02 Equivalent per Capita

Bahrain is home to approximately 1.6 million people, making it one of the most densely populated countries in the world. Around 70 per cent of government revenue comes from oil sales. The country discovered oil in the early 1930s, the first in the region, and currently produces just under 200,000 barrels of crude oil per day.

Oman

42.4 Tonnes C02 Equivalent per Capita

Oman is home to approximately 5.2 million people and is strategically located at the entrance to the Persian Gulf. Between 70 and 80 per cent of the state budget’s revenue is derived from oil and gas sales. The country began commercial oil production in the 1960s and currently produces about 1 million barrels of crude oil per day.

Australia

46.4 Tonnes C02 Equivalent per Capita

Australia is home to approximately 27 million people and serves as a strategic and economic bridge between the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Fossil fuel exports, particularly coal and natural gas, are a cornerstone of the nation’s economy and account for a significant portion of national export revenues. Commercial extraction gained momentum in the 1960s, and today the country produces just under 500,000 barrels of oil per day while remaining one of the world's largest exporters of liquefied natural gas (LNG).

Saudi Arabia

50.1 Tonnes C02 Equivalent per Capita

Saudi Arabia is home to approximately 37 million people and stretches strategically between the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf. Between 70 and 80 per cent of government revenue comes from oil sales. The country discovered oil in 1938, marking the beginning of its path toward becoming the world’s leading energy exporter, and it currently produces over 9 million barrels of crude oil per day.

United Arab Emirates

60.2 Tonnes C02 Equivalent per Capita

The United Arab Emirates is home to approximately 10 million people and is a federation strategically located at the mouth of the Persian Gulf. About 50 to 60 per cent of the state budget revenue comes from oil and gas sales, although the country has successfully diversified large parts of its economy. The country discovered oil in 1958, which laid the foundation for its immense wealth, and it currently produces over 3.2 million barrels of crude oil per day.

Mongolia

61.6 Tonnes C02 Equivalent per Capita

Mongolia is home to approximately 3.5 million people and is a vast, sparsely populated country strategically sandwiched between the major powers of Russia and China. Over 80 per cent of the country's export earnings come from the extraction of natural resources, with coal exports forming the absolute backbone of the state budget. In recent years, the country has ramped up coal production to over 50 million tons annually, making it a global coal superpower per capita, while also producing just under 20,000 barrels of crude oil per day.

Brunei

72.8 Tonnes C02 Equivalent per Capita

Brunei is home to approximately 460,000 people and is a small but wealthy sultanate strategically located on the northern coast of Borneo in the South China Sea. Between 80 and 90 per cent of government revenue is derived from oil and gas sales, making the country one of the most resource-dependent economies in the world. Oil was discovered in 1929, laying the foundation for the nation’s immense wealth, and it currently produces just under 100,000 barrels of crude oil per day while serving as a significant exporter of liquefied natural gas (LNG).

Kuwait

80.7 Tonnes C02 Equivalent per Capita

Kuwait is home to approximately 4.3 million people and is strategically located in the inner part of the Persian Gulf. Around 90 per cent of state budget revenue comes from oil sales, making the country one of the most oil-dependent economies in the world. Oil was discovered in 1938, laying the groundwork for the development of a modern welfare state, and the country currently produces over 2.4 million barrels of crude oil per day. The nation also has significant domestic production of natural gas for industry, but is simultaneously one of the world's largest importers of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to meet its own massive energy needs.

Norway

84.3 Tonnes C02 Equivalent per Capita

Norway is home to approximately 5.6 million people and is strategically located along the Atlantic Ocean as a key gateway to the Arctic. About 40 to 50 per cent of the state's revenue comes from oil and gas activities, all of which is managed through the world's largest sovereign wealth fund to secure future generations. Oil was discovered in 1969, laying the foundation for the development of a modern welfare state, and the country currently produces over 2 million barrels of crude oil per day. Norway is also one of the world's most important exporters of natural gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG), serving as Europe's largest and most vital gas supplier.

Qatar

195.3 Tonnes C02 Equivalent per Capita

Qatar is home to approximately 2.7 million people and is a peninsula strategically located in the centre of the Persian Gulf. Between 70 and 80 per cent of government revenue comes from oil and gas sales, making the nation one of the world's richest per capita. Oil was discovered in 1939, but the development of the world's largest gas field in the 1970s laid the foundation for its immense wealth; it currently produces just under 600,000 barrels of crude oil per day. Today, Qatar is one of the world's largest producers and exporters of liquefied natural gas (LNG), serving as a global energy powerhouse through its vast natural gas surplus.

The race to the bottom

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.

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.

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Explore the ranking

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, reflecting countries' reliance on and involvement in domestic oil, gas, and coal production. Each country receives a score out of 100, where 100 represents the highest performance. In this case, that means relying the least on fossil fuel production. The countries at the bottom of the list produce the most per capita.

Loading data visualisation...

The supply-side reality check

Focusing on what a country exports, or the supply, reveals the reality of the global situation in three specific ways:

It sees through ‘green labels’: A country might use clean energy to power its own homes, but still sell massive amounts of oil to other countries. This metric holds nations accountable for what they sell to the world, not just what they use within their own borders.
It exposes financial risk: The data shows how much of an individual citizen's wealth depends on the fossil fuel industry. If the world stops buying oil, these countries and their citizens face a big financial risk.
It finds the source of the problem: Most climate lists only look at who burns the fuel at the end of the chain. This list looks at who takes it out of the ground at the start. It measures the problem at its very beginning.

A global reality check: Who is pulling the most carbon out of the Earth?

A global reality check: Who is pulling the most carbon out of the Earth?

Energy Transition Report

What does this score show?

The supply-side reality check

The Bottom of the Barrel

Bahrain

Oman

Australia

Saudi Arabia

United Arab Emirates

Mongolia

Brunei

Kuwait

Norway

Qatar

The race to the bottom

Explore the ranking

Enjoy this story?

What does this score show?

The supply-side reality check

The Bottom of the Barrel

Bahrain

Oman

Australia

Saudi Arabia

United Arab Emirates

Mongolia

Brunei

Kuwait

Norway

Qatar

The race to the bottom

Explore the ranking

A global reality check: Who is pulling the most carbon out of the Earth?

A global reality check: Who is pulling the most carbon out of the Earth?

The story in short

Report

Energy Transition Report

What does this score show?

The supply-side reality check

The Bottom of the Barrel

Bahrain

Oman

Australia

Saudi Arabia

United Arab Emirates

Mongolia

Brunei

Kuwait

Norway

Qatar

The race to the bottom

Explore the ranking

Enjoy this story?

Interested in our sources?

What does this score show?

The supply-side reality check

The Bottom of the Barrel

Bahrain

Oman

Australia

Saudi Arabia

United Arab Emirates

Mongolia

Brunei

Kuwait

Norway

Qatar

The race to the bottom

Explore the ranking