CO2 emissions are typically measured on the basis of ‘production’. This accounting method – which is sometimes referred to as ‘territorial’ emissions – is used when countries report their emissions, and set targets domestically and internationally.

In addition to the commonly reported territorial emissions statisticians also calculate ‘consumption-based’ emissions. These emissions are adjusted for trade. To calculate consumption-based emissions we need to track which goods are traded across the world, and whenever a good was imported we need to include all CO2 emissions that were emitted in the production of that good, and vice versa to subtract all CO2 emissions that were emitted in the production of goods that were exported.

Consumption-based emissions reflect the consumption and lifestyle choices of a country’s citizens.

The following chart compare CO2 emissions with GDP per capita. As the GDP is based on the country production, this data compare territorial production (GDP) with territorial emissions, meaning the emissions produced within a country’s borders, but not those from imported goods. For example, emissions from imported steel are counted in the country where the steel is produced.

Source 1 : https://ourworldindata.org/consumption-based-co2
Source 2 : https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/co2-emissions-vs-gdp