The British empire’s emissions nearly double the UK’s responsibility for the climate crisis

Cumulative CO2 emissions 1850-2023, billion tonnes

Within own borders

From former territories

Reallocated to colonial power*

0

100

200

300

400

500

US

China

Russia

UK

Brazil

Germany

India

Japan

Indonesia

Canada

France

Netherlands

Mexico

Australia

South Africa

Within own borders

From former territories

Reallocated to colonial power*

0

100

200

300

400

500

US

China

Russia

UK

Brazil

Germany

India

Japan

Indonesia

Canada

France

Netherlands

Mexico

Australia

South Africa

Guardian graphic. Source: Carbon Brief. *Emissions previously allocated to a colonised country but now reassigned to the colonising country for the period of colonisation