A new report from the Global Carbon Budget 2025, compiled by Our World in Data, shows Brunei recorded the highest carbon dioxide emissions per capita in ASEAN in 2024. The country's emissions stand at an estimated 32.8 tonnes per person annually, placing it in the "extremely high" range. For comparison, Malaysia recorded 8.16 tonnes per capita and the global average is 4.73 tonnes. Brunei's total greenhouse gas emissions are around 15.2 megatonnes of CO2 equivalent, about 0.03 percent of global emissions. The high per-capita figure is driven by Brunei's heavy reliance on oil and gas exports and its small population, which inflates per-person calculations. The country has outlined climate action plans through the Brunei Darussalam National Climate Change Policy (BNCCP), which targets industrial emissions reduction, energy efficiency, renewable energy adoption, electric mobility, carbon pricing, and forest conservation. Across ASEAN, most countries have seen per-capita emissions rise over the past three decades due to economic growth and industrialization. The report underscores the challenge for small, hydrocarbon-producing economies in balancing economic development with emissions reduction. Achieving net-zero targets will require cleaner energy sources, improved efficiency, technological innovation, and stronger climate policies. The data provides a clear benchmark for tracking regional progress on decarbonization and the effectiveness of national climate commitments.
