Year-on-year change in CO₂ emissions in Lesotho
Lesotho: Year-on-year change in CO₂ emissions was 78,134 tonnes in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Year-on-year change in CO₂ emissions in Lesotho, 1991–2024
Source: Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
Lesotho recorded 78,134 tonnes for year-on-year change in co₂ emissions in 2024.
The figure is up 235.4% on the previous year and down 33.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, year-on-year change in co₂ emissions in Lesotho peaked at 1.11 million tonnes in 2021 and was at its lowest, -666,848 tonnes, in 2013.
Lesotho ranks 98th of 215 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Year-on-year change in CO₂ emissions in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 54,960 tonnes | — |
| 1992 | 58,624 tonnes | +6.7% |
| 1993 | 43,968 tonnes | -25.0% |
| 1994 | 43,968 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 32,976 tonnes | -25.0% |
| 1996 | 29,312 tonnes | -11.1% |
| 1997 | 32,976 tonnes | +12.5% |
| 1998 | 32,976 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 21,984 tonnes | -33.3% |
| 2000 | 25,648 tonnes | +16.7% |
| 2001 | 21,984 tonnes | -14.3% |
| 2002 | 32,976 tonnes | +50.0% |
| 2003 | 25,648 tonnes | -22.2% |
| 2004 | 47,632 tonnes | +85.7% |
| 2005 | 32,976 tonnes | -30.8% |
| 2006 | 21,984 tonnes | -33.3% |
| 2007 | 40,304 tonnes | +83.3% |
| 2008 | 47,632 tonnes | +18.2% |
| 2009 | 95,264 tonnes | +100.0% |
| 2010 | 58,624 tonnes | -38.5% |
| 2011 | 483,648 tonnes | +725.0% |
| 2012 | 32,976 tonnes | -93.2% |
| 2013 | -666,848 tonnes | -2122.2% |
| 2014 | 117,248 tonnes | -117.6% |
| 2015 | -197,856 tonnes | -268.8% |
| 2016 | -18,320 tonnes | -90.7% |
| 2017 | 260,144 tonnes | -1520.0% |
| 2018 | -120,912 tonnes | -146.5% |
| 2019 | 21,984 tonnes | -118.2% |
| 2020 | -201,520 tonnes | -1016.7% |
| 2021 | 1.11 million tonnes | -650.9% |
| 2022 | -544,736 tonnes | -149.1% |
| 2023 | -57,711 tonnes | -89.4% |
| 2024 | 78,134 tonnes | -235.4% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 78,134 tonnes is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 105,942 tonnes, 74% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 78,134 tonnes is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 46,780 tonnes, 1.7× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Year-on-year change in CO₂ emissions in Lesotho changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | -2122.2% | 32,976 tonnes | -666,848 tonnes |
| 2017 | +1520.0% | -18,320 tonnes | 260,144 tonnes |
| 2020 | -1016.7% | 21,984 tonnes | -201,520 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 39,083 tonnes | 21,984 tonnes | 58,624 tonnes | 9 |
| 2000s | 39,205 tonnes | 21,984 tonnes | 95,264 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | -2,931 tonnes | -666,848 tonnes | 483,648 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 76,871 tonnes | -544,736 tonnes | 1.11 million tonnes | 5 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
More climate change data for Lesotho
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 6.55 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 2,116 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 715.74 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 1,401 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 2.7 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 50.03 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 61.29 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 51.99 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 9.3 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 0.1962 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is year-on-year change in co₂ emissions in Lesotho?
- Year-on-year change in co₂ emissions in Lesotho was 78,134 tonnes in 2024, according to Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest year-on-year change in co₂ emissions recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 1.11 million tonnes in 2021.
- What is the lowest year-on-year change in co₂ emissions recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was -666,848 tonnes in 2013.
- How does Lesotho rank for year-on-year change in co₂ emissions?
- Lesotho ranks 98th out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is year-on-year change in co₂ emissions rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 33.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Year-on-year change in CO₂ emissions. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 34 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Annual growth in total emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂), excluding land-use change, measured in tonnes.