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 low carbon 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.

Cristiano Ronaldo of team Al Nassr FC celebrates scoring their fourth goal during the Saudi Pro League game

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.

Women shop for jewelry at a gold shop at the Gold Center in Doha Qatar

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

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.

Oman

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.

Australia

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.

Saudi Arabia

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.

United Arab Emirates

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.

Mongolia

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.

Brunei

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.

Kuwait

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.

Norway

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.

Qatar

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).

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. 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.

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. The countries at the bottom of the list produce the most per capita.

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 low carbon 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