SDG 9 | Sustainable developments Goals

SDG 9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

SDG Indicator 9.4.1: CO₂ emissions per unit of value added

1. Key features and metadata

Definition: This indicator is defined as the ratio between CO₂ emissions from fuel combustion and the value added of associated economic activities.

Sub-indicator	Disaggregated by
EN_ATM_CO2 Carbon dioxide emissions from fuel combustion (millions of tonnes)	Activity (manufacturing excl. coke and refined petroleum products and repair and installation of machinery and equipment)
EN_ATM_CO2GDP Carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP PPP (kilogrammes of CO₂ per constant 2017 USD)	No current data disaggregation available.
EN_ATM_CO2MVA Carbon dioxide emissions per unit of manufacturing value added (kilogrammes of CO₂ per constant 2015 USD)

Sub-indicator

Disaggregated by

EN_ATM_CO2

Carbon dioxide emissions from fuel combustion (millions of tonnes)

Activity (manufacturing excl. coke and refined petroleum products and repair and installation of machinery and equipment)

EN_ATM_CO2GDP

Carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP PPP (kilogrammes of CO₂ per constant 2017 USD)

No current data disaggregation available.

EN_ATM_CO2MVA

Carbon dioxide emissions per unit of manufacturing value added (kilogrammes of CO₂ per constant 2015 USD)

Sources of information:Data on total CO₂ emissions from fuel combustion, also disaggregated by sector, are taken from the International Energy Agency (IEA)Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Energy database. GDP data is sourced from the World Bank Development indicators and the National Accounts – Analysis of Main Aggregates (AMA). UNIDO maintains the MVA database. Figures for updates are obtained from national account estimates produced by the UN Statistics Division (UNSD) and from national publications.

Related SDG Indicators: 7.2.1 (Renewable energy share in the total final energy consumption), 7.3.1 (Energy intensity measured in terms of primary energy and GDP Indicator) and 13.2.2(Total greenhouse gas emissions per year).

2. Data availability by region, SDG Global Database, as of 02 July 2025

Figure 4.14 CO2 emissions per unit of value added

3. Proposed disaggregation, links to policymaking and its impact

Proposed disaggregation	Link to policymaking	Impact
Carbon dioxide emissions per unit of manufacturing value added (kg of CO₂ per constant 2015 USD), by industrial sub-sector(IPCC 2007; UN 2008a; UN 2008b; UN 2018a; IEA 2023): Iron and steel industry Chemical and petrochemical industry Non-ferrous metals basic industries Non-metallic minerals Transport equipment Machinery comprising fabricated metal products, machinery and equipment (other than transport equipment) Food and tobacco Paper, pulp and printing Wood and wood products Textile and leather Non-specified (any manufacturing industry not included above) Applies to: EN_ATM_CO2MVA	This disaggregation presents detailed information on the CO₂ emissions of the manufacturing industry by sub-sector. This is useful information for decision-makers in identifying the responsibility of each sub-sector within the emissions of the manufacturing industry as a whole. Similarly, it can be used to adapt relevant policies and interventions to respond to the specificity of the sub-sectors with a view to curbing overall emissions of CO₂ as part of the Paris Agreement. New interventions could be implemented in the manufacturing sector to target: The electrification development of industrial processes, The use of less polluting fuels (e.g. green hydrogen), The progress of specific heavy industries, such as cement and steel (i.e. enhanced carbon intensity, diminishing demand or substitution), The increasing material and energy efficiency and the expansion of the circular economy (UNEP 2022b).	Industry is one of the biggest emitters of greenhouse gases worldwide (IEA 2022). Considerable efforts were made by this sector to improve its energy efficiency and curb its CO₂emissions. It is also adversely affected by climate change consequences (i.e. due to natural disasters, a rise in sea levels or water shortages). It offers several sustainable development opportunities in terms of technological innovation, new business models, green economy and related jobs, and the development of new production and consumption patterns (United Nations Industrial Development Organization [UNIDO] n.d.).The move towards inclusive, low-emission, climate-resilient, and sustainable industrialization is highly beneficial to countries, their populations and their economies.

Proposed disaggregation

Link to policymaking

Impact

Carbon dioxide emissions per unit of manufacturing value added (kg of CO₂ per constant 2015 USD), by industrial sub-sector(IPCC 2007; UN 2008a; UN 2008b; UN 2018a; IEA 2023):

Iron and steel industry
Chemical and petrochemical industry
Non-ferrous metals basic industries
Non-metallic minerals
Transport equipment
Machinery comprising fabricated metal products, machinery and equipment (other than transport equipment)
Food and tobacco
Paper, pulp and printing
Wood and wood products
Textile and leather
Non-specified (any manufacturing industry not included above)

Applies to:

EN_ATM_CO2MVA

This disaggregation presents detailed information on the CO₂ emissions of the manufacturing industry by sub-sector. This is useful information for decision-makers in identifying the responsibility of each sub-sector within the emissions of the manufacturing industry as a whole. Similarly, it can be used to adapt relevant policies and interventions to respond to the specificity of the sub-sectors with a view to curbing overall emissions of CO₂ as part of the Paris Agreement.

New interventions could be implemented in the manufacturing sector to target:

The electrification development of industrial processes,
The use of less polluting fuels (e.g. green hydrogen),
The progress of specific heavy industries, such as cement and steel (i.e. enhanced carbon intensity, diminishing demand or substitution),
The increasing material and energy efficiency and the expansion of the circular economy (UNEP 2022b).

Industry is one of the biggest emitters of greenhouse gases worldwide (IEA 2022). Considerable efforts were made by this sector to improve its energy efficiency and curb its CO₂emissions. It is also adversely affected by climate change consequences (i.e. due to natural disasters, a rise in sea levels or water shortages). It offers several sustainable development opportunities in terms of technological innovation, new business models, green economy and related jobs, and the development of new production and consumption patterns (United Nations Industrial Development Organization [UNIDO] n.d.).The move towards inclusive, low-emission, climate-resilient, and sustainable industrialization is highly beneficial to countries, their populations and their economies.