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- Our World in Data
- Cumulative CO2 emissions by country
Cumulative CO2 emissions by country
Our World in Data's bar chart drew 109.1K views on X: 3.8x its typical post and #21 of 139 Our World in Data charts we track by views. Read Oct 10, 2026.
Which countries have contributed the most to historical CO₂ emissions?
Why it spread
It spread because a trusted data journalism account paired a simple bar chart of historical CO2 emissions shares with a clear framing about carbon staying in the atmosphere for centuries, drawing 1,225 likes, 459 reposts, 52 quotes, 180 saves, and 109,127 views.
What worked
- The post text opens with a direct question about which countries contributed the most to historical CO2 emissions, which makes the bar chart easy to understand at a glance.
- The framing explains that CO2 stays in the atmosphere for centuries or millennia, giving readers a reason to care about old emissions and today's rising temperatures.
- The chart is branded, shows a source line, and comes from an independent author in the top quarter for source reach and quote rate, which supports trust and discussion.
What to borrow
We could use the same question-led framing and a simple bar chart to show our own historical shares, then add one plain sentence about why the time span matters.
Careful
Do not copy the exact topic or assume the same numbers will travel, and do not over-read the quote rate or source reach as proof that the design alone caused the spread.
Written by our analysis model from the measured numbers above, not by Our World in Data.
Make it yours
Your numbers, in this bar chart.
Starts from the real numbers of "Countries that have emitted the most CO2 emissions to date" by Our World in Data. Replace every number with yours before you post. Make one like this, step by step
Free pictures carry a small "Made with ViralChart" line. That line is how other people find us.
API · Max
Use this chart via API
On the Max plan you can pull this chart's numbers with the provenance of each one, as JSON or CSV, with its redraw spec, or call it from an agent over MCP. Chart id 21ebb975be32.
| Path | Returns | Plan | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GET | /api/v1/charts/21ebb975be32 | Title, publisher, date, form, point count; with a Max key, the data link | Open |
| GET | /api/v1/charts/21ebb975be32/data | Every point with its provenance and confidence, plus the redraw spec. Add ?format=csv for CSV | Max |
| GET | /api/v1/charts/21ebb975be32/render?view=1 | The draw-only view this page uses | Open |
| POST | /mcp | Tool get_chart_data with this id, for Claude, Cursor and other agents | Max |
curl -s https://viral-chart.com/api/v1/charts/21ebb975be32/data \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $VIRALCHART_KEY"claude mcp add --transport http viralchart https://viral-chart.com/mcp \
--header "Authorization: Bearer $VIRALCHART_KEY"60 requests a minute per key; over that you get 429 with Retry-After. Up to 5 keys per account, made on your account page and shown once. Without Max, the data route answers 402 with a link to the plans. The numbers describe a chart its publisher owns, and every file carries a license note.
More from Our World in Data
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Questions people ask
How far did Our World in Data's "Cumulative CO2 emissions by country" chart travel?
109,127 views, 1,225 likes, 459 reposts and 180 saves on X, read Oct 10, 2026. A normal post from @OurWorldInData gets about 28.6K views.
What kind of chart is it?
A bar chart. Countries with highest historical CO2 emissions shares.
Can I use Our World in Data's chart?
Use the format, not the picture. The chart, logo and design belong to Our World in Data. ViralChart redraws the chart type with your numbers and words, and credits the original publisher.