With the rapid growth of global agricultural trade, agriculture has become one of the key sectors of dioxide carbon (CO₂) emission embodied in trade. However, few studies have focused on the transfer of virtual CO₂ emission embodied in global agricultural trade and its driving factors. This study quantitatively estimated CO₂ emissions embodied in agricultural trade for 141 countries and regions worldwide in 2004, 2007, 2011, and 2014, by using the multi-regional input-output (MRIO) model and the GTAP 10 database. The production-based and consumption-based CO₂ emission of the global agricultural sector and virtual CO₂ transfer pathways associated with global agricultural trade were investigated. In addition, the structural decomposition analysis (SDA) method was used to analyze the impact of major driving factors on the CO₂ emissions embodied in global agricultural trade. The results show that the regions with highest production-based CO₂ emissions were the major agricultural producers in the world, including China, the United States, and Latin America. The regions with highest consumption-based CO₂ emissions were the predominantly major agricultural consumers, including China, the United States and the Middle East and North Africa. The meat sector exhibited the largest production-based and consumption-based CO₂ emissions in the six agricultural sectors. The energy sector was the largest contributor to CO₂ emissions due to final demand from the agricultural sector, accounting for more than 40% of total CO₂ emissions induced by agricultural sector. The regions with the net CO₂ outflow embodied in the agricultural trade were the Latin America and the United States, while the Western Europe, China and the Middle East and North Africa were the net CO₂ inflow regions. The input-output structure, final demand structure, and final demand scale are the key drivers that lead to the growth of virtual CO₂ emissions embodied in global agricultural trade, leading to increase of 459.6Mt CO₂ emissions embodied in agricultural trade over the past decade. The final demand scale was the largest driver factors, accounting for 87.8% of total growth of virtual CO₂ emissions. The reduction in global CO₂ emission intensity has served as the predominant inhibiting factor for embodied carbon emissions in agricultural trade, resulting in a decrease of 458.4Mt in CO₂ emissions over the past decade. The results can provide data support and policy recommendations for reducing CO₂ emissions embodied in global agricultural trade from a demand-oriented perspective.