Canada’s Black Carbon Inventory Report 2025

Black carbon is a short-lived, small aerosol (or airborne) particle linked to both climate warming and adverse health effects. It is emitted from incomplete combustion of carbon-based fuels (i.e., fossil fuels, biofuels, wood) in the form of very fine particulate matter. Black carbon is not emitted on its own, but as a component of particulate matter less than or equal to 2.5 micrometres in diameter (PM_2.5).

The report presents the results of the 2025 edition of Canada's annual inventory of anthropogenic black carbon emissions, and includes information on the most recent estimates from 2013 to 2023. This inventory meets a commitment by Canada and other Arctic States under the Arctic Council Framework for Action on Enhanced Black Carbon and Methane Emissions Reductions, to develop and improve emission inventories for black carbon. The report is presented annually to the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), along with the Air Pollutant Emissions Inventory.

Acknowledgements

The Pollutant Inventories and Reporting Division (PIRD) of Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) wishes to acknowledge the individuals and organizations that contributed to Canada’s Black Carbon Inventory Report 2013–2023 and the Nomenclature for Reporting (NFR) tables prepared for submission to the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). PIRD would like to highlight the contributions of the following inventory compilers, authors and reviewers, whose work helped to develop and improve this year’s report and estimates:

Tatyana Abou-Chaker, Amélie Amiot, Sean Angel-York, Alice Au, Pegah Bauco, Owen Barrigar, Nicholas Bishop, Alessia Czerwinski, Brandon Greenlaw, Jordon Kay, Geneviève LeBlanc-Power, Catherine Lee, Trevor Newton, Raphaëlle Pelland St-Pierre, Lindsay Pratt, Catherine Robert, Duane Smith, Steve Smyth, Brett Taylor, Shawn Tobin, Kristine Tracey, and Melanie Vanderpol.

Operation and maintenance of a central compilation and reporting database was done by Pegah Bauco. The compilation of the NFR tables for submission to the UNECE was led by Pegah Bauco. Coordination of the black carbon inventory report was led by Tatyana Abou-Chaker. Layout of the report for publication was carried out by Jorge Aranda Fernandez, Bruna Sunye and Marida Waters Webpage development was completed by Jorge Aranda Fernandez, under Amélie Amiot’s supervision. Translation was carried out by Katryn Lamoureux, Bruna Sunye and Kim Thibault.

Of the numerous people and organizations that provided support and information, we are especially indebted to the contributors from the federal and provincial governments, industry and industry associations, consulting firms and universities who provided technical and scientific support.

This report represents the cumulative result of significant contributions from many individuals since its original publication many years ago. These contributions include those from former Directors, managers, inventory experts, and key partners. The Division would like to acknowledge these former colleagues whose contributions have formed the foundation upon which this report and the associated data have been developed.

Readers’ Comments

Comments regarding the content of this report should be addressed to:

Lindsay Pratt, Director
Pollutant Inventories and Reporting Division
Science Reporting and Assessment Directorate
Science and Technology Branch
Environment and Climate Change Canada
351 Saint-Joseph Blvd.
Gatineau, QC Canada K1A 0H3
Email: apei-iepa@ec.gc.ca
Telephone: 1-877-877-8375

List of Common Abbreviations and Units

Units

Executive Summary

Black carbon is a component of particulate matter (PM) and a short-lived climate pollutant. Specifically, it is a short-lived small aerosol (or airborne particle) linked to near-term climate warming, air pollution and adverse human health effects. Reducing black carbon emissions is of particular interest in polar regions, such as the Arctic, where it increases atmospheric warming and enhances melt when deposited on ice and snow.

The Arctic Council was one of the first fora to recognize the importance of action on short-lived climate pollutants, in particular, black carbon and methane. The Artic Council Framework for Action on Enhanced Black Carbon and Methane Emissions Reductions was developed under Canada’s most recent term as Chair of the Council (2013 to 2015) and was agreed upon in April 2015. It includes a commitment from all Arctic States to develop and improve emission inventories for black carbon using, where possible, relevant guidelines from the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP) of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). In 2017, the eight Arctic States committed to the aspirational goal of reducing collective black carbon emissions by 25% to 33% relative to 2013 levels by 2025. In November 2017, Canada ratified the Gothenburg Protocol and its 2012 amendments, which include black carbon as a component of fine particulate matter. The amended Gothenburg Protocol under CLRTAP is the first legally binding instrument to include a focus on black carbon. Canada’s black carbon emissions inventory allows Canada to assess its progress in reducing black carbon emissions, combatting related climate change and human health issues, and to contribute to achieving the Arctic Council’s collective aspirational goal. Canada's annual official submission to the UNECE comprises a black carbon dataset submitted by February 15 and its accompanied report by March 15, submitted along with the Air Pollutant Emissions Inventory.^{Footnote 1} 

All emissions reported in this inventory are from anthropogenic sources. Natural sources of black carbon, such as wildfires, are not included. Emissions in this inventory, estimated at the national, provincial and territorial levels, are grouped according to the following source categories:^{Footnote 2} 

• Ore and Mineral Industries
• Oil and Gas Industry
• Electric Power Generation (Utilities)
• Manufacturing
• Transportation and Mobile Equipment
• Agriculture
• Commercial/Residential/Institutional

In keeping with international reporting requirements, Canada’s emissions of black carbon from aircraft at cruising altitude, as well as emissions from international marine navigation, are presented separately from other sources of emissions in this report and are excluded from Canada’s national total emissions (see section A2.3 for more information).

This report presents the results of the 2025 edition of Canada’s annual inventory of black carbon emissions, and includes information on the most recent estimates for 2013 to 2023.

Black Carbon Emissions in 2023

In 2023, approximately 22 kilotonnes (kt) of black carbon were emitted in Canada (Table ES–1).^{Footnote 3} 

Transportation and Mobile Equipment is the largest source of black carbon in Canada, accounting for 12 kt (56%) of total emissions in 2023. Of the various sources in this category, off-road diesel engines account for 7.0 kt (32%) of total emissions in 2023. The other large source in this category is diesel engines used for on-road transport, which account for 2.2 kt (9.9%) of total emissions.

Commercial/Residential/Institutional fuel combustion is the second-largest contributor to black carbon emissions in Canada, accounting for 5.4 kt of black carbon, or 25% of total emissions in 2023. Within this category, Home Firewood Burning is the largest source, making up 4.3 kt of black carbon, or 20% of total 2023 emissions. Wood is an abundant fuel source in Canada, and it is estimated that 5.6 million tonnes of firewood were burned in Canadian homes in 2023, a decrease of 36% since 2015 (StatCan, n.d.).

Canada’s Black Carbon Emissions Trends (2013-2023) and International Commitment

Since 2013, black carbon emissions in Canada have decreased overall by 14 kt (40%). Therefore, Canada has already achieved its share of the Arctic Council’s goal to reduce black carbon emissions by 25-33% below 2013 levels by 2025.^{Footnote 4}  Trends in black carbon emissions are largely driven by the Transportation and Mobile Equipment category and are consistent with observed trends in emissions of PM less than or equal to 2.5 microns in diameter (PM_2.5) (on which black carbon estimates are based) (Table ES–1).

When observing long-term emission trends, large-scale events can have a significant impact on a portion of the time series analyzed and should be considered. The years 2020 and 2021 were marked by the COVID-19 pandemic. This coincides with notable observed emission decreases between 2019 and 2020. Impacts of the pandemic, more pronounced in 2020, are now harder to distinguish in recent years, as black carbon emissions have resumed the gradual downward trend of recent years. More information on black carbon emissions and trends in Canada can be found in Chapter 2, and on estimation methods, in Chapter 3.

Irrespective of the downward trend, air quality issues may still arise when emission sources are spatially concentrated. While the black carbon inventory provides valuable information on emissions in Canada, it does not distinguish localized sources of emissions within the provincial and territorial level aggregations. Work will continue to improve the completeness and accuracy of the inventory, quantifying the emissions that are not yet captured, and refining base data and estimation techniques. In line with the continuous improvement approach, a new source was added to the 2025 inventory: the Waste Incineration sector.

Table ES–1: Canadian Black Carbon Emissions, Selected Years

Notes:
Totals may not add up due to rounding.
Values in this report have been rounded to up to two significant digits.

Other Emissions Estimated in the Black Carbon Inventory (tonnes)

Note:

Refer to Annex 2.3 for more information on Transportation and Mobile Equipment emissions reporting.

References, Executive Summary

[StatCan] Statistics Canada. ([n.d.] No date). Households and the Environment Survey.