Year-on-year change in CO₂ emissions in South Africa
South Africa: Year-on-year change in CO₂ emissions was 3.23 million tonnes in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
3.23 million tonnes
Change on year
down 58.8%
World rank
22nd
of 215 countries
All-time high
47.90 million tonnes
in 2003
All-time low
-35.43 million tonnes
in 2020
Years of data
140
1885–2024
Year-on-year change in CO₂ emissions in South Africa, 1885–2024
Source: Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 3.23 million tonnes for year-on-year change in co₂ emissions in 2024.
That represents a change of down 58.8% on the previous year and down 87.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, year-on-year change in co₂ emissions in South Africa peaked at 47.90 million tonnes in 2003 and was at its lowest, -35.43 million tonnes, in 2020.
That places South Africa 22nd out of 215 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Year-on-year change in CO₂ emissions in South Africa, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1885 | 14,656 tonnes | — |
| 1886 | 10,992 tonnes | -25.0% |
| 1887 | 0 tonnes | -100.0% |
| 1888 | 32,976 tonnes | — |
| 1889 | 51,296 tonnes | +55.6% |
| 1890 | 164,880 tonnes | +221.4% |
| 1891 | 0 tonnes | -100.0% |
| 1892 | 183,200 tonnes | — |
| 1893 | 1.32 million tonnes | +620.0% |
| 1894 | 633,872 tonnes | -51.9% |
| 1895 | 905,008 tonnes | +42.8% |
| 1896 | 919,664 tonnes | +1.6% |
| 1897 | 520,288 tonnes | -43.4% |
| 1898 | 1.27 million tonnes | +144.4% |
| 1899 | -531,280 tonnes | -141.8% |
| 1900 | -3.19 million tonnes | +500.0% |
| 1901 | 1.58 million tonnes | -149.5% |
| 1902 | 1.92 million tonnes | +21.3% |
| 1903 | 1.96 million tonnes | +2.1% |
| 1904 | 985,616 tonnes | -49.6% |
| 1905 | 1.26 million tonnes | +27.9% |
| 1906 | 1.44 million tonnes | +14.0% |
| 1907 | 1.19 million tonnes | -17.3% |
| 1908 | 355,408 tonnes | -70.1% |
| 1909 | 1.97 million tonnes | +453.6% |
| 1910 | 2.00 million tonnes | +1.9% |
| 1911 | -637,536 tonnes | -131.8% |
| 1912 | 1.01 million tonnes | -258.0% |
| 1913 | 1.63 million tonnes | +62.2% |
| 1914 | -582,576 tonnes | -135.7% |
| 1915 | 109,920 tonnes | -118.9% |
| 1916 | 3.30 million tonnes | +2903.3% |
| 1917 | 1.53 million tonnes | -53.7% |
| 1918 | -1.12 million tonnes | -173.1% |
| 1919 | 916,000 tonnes | -182.0% |
| 1920 | 2.53 million tonnes | +176.0% |
| 1921 | -252,816 tonnes | -110.0% |
| 1922 | -3.63 million tonnes | +1334.8% |
| 1923 | 4.66 million tonnes | -228.4% |
| 1924 | 1.33 million tonnes | -71.4% |
| 1925 | 1.18 million tonnes | -11.8% |
| 1926 | 1.48 million tonnes | +25.5% |
| 1927 | -868,368 tonnes | -158.8% |
| 1928 | 62,288 tonnes | -107.2% |
| 1929 | 1.15 million tonnes | +1738.8% |
| 1930 | -2.05 million tonnes | -278.7% |
| 1931 | -3.15 million tonnes | +54.1% |
| 1932 | -2.11 million tonnes | -33.1% |
| 1933 | 1.88 million tonnes | -188.8% |
| 1934 | 3.54 million tonnes | +88.7% |
| 1935 | 3.29 million tonnes | -7.1% |
| 1936 | 3.10 million tonnes | -5.8% |
| 1937 | 1.56 million tonnes | -49.5% |
| 1938 | 1.88 million tonnes | +20.4% |
| 1939 | 1.46 million tonnes | -22.6% |
| 1940 | 1.36 million tonnes | -6.7% |
| 1941 | 2.81 million tonnes | +106.7% |
| 1942 | 4.10 million tonnes | +45.8% |
| 1943 | 340,868 tonnes | -91.7% |
| 1944 | 5.80 million tonnes | +1602.4% |
| 1945 | 1.30 million tonnes | -77.6% |
| 1946 | 175,364 tonnes | -86.5% |
| 1947 | -209,144 tonnes | -219.3% |
| 1948 | 1.26 million tonnes | -704.3% |
| 1949 | 3.49 million tonnes | +176.0% |
| 1950 | 327,796 tonnes | -90.6% |
| 1951 | 4.15 million tonnes | +1167.4% |
| 1952 | 5.76 million tonnes | +38.7% |
| 1953 | 142,472 tonnes | -97.5% |
| 1954 | 2.91 million tonnes | +1939.3% |
| 1955 | 9.05 million tonnes | +211.5% |
| 1956 | 4.32 million tonnes | -52.2% |
| 1957 | 2.39 million tonnes | -44.7% |
| 1958 | 6.61 million tonnes | +176.3% |
| 1959 | -1.78 million tonnes | -126.9% |
| 1960 | 3.37 million tonnes | -289.5% |
| 1961 | 4.27 million tonnes | +26.6% |
| 1962 | 3.55 million tonnes | -16.9% |
| 1963 | 4.06 million tonnes | +14.2% |
| 1964 | 9.82 million tonnes | +142.2% |
| 1965 | 8.59 million tonnes | -12.5% |
| 1966 | 94,888 tonnes | -98.9% |
| 1967 | 5.53 million tonnes | +5722.8% |
| 1968 | 4.19 million tonnes | -24.1% |
| 1969 | 5.19 million tonnes | +23.7% |
| 1970 | 6.48 million tonnes | +24.9% |
| 1971 | 18.79 million tonnes | +189.9% |
| 1972 | 3.15 million tonnes | -83.2% |
| 1973 | 1.80 million tonnes | -43.0% |
| 1974 | 3.20 million tonnes | +78.0% |
| 1975 | 8.46 million tonnes | +164.6% |
| 1976 | 7.90 million tonnes | -6.5% |
| 1977 | 6.83 million tonnes | -13.6% |
| 1978 | 2.14 million tonnes | -68.6% |
| 1979 | 16.79 million tonnes | +684.2% |
| 1980 | 9.53 million tonnes | -43.2% |
| 1981 | 28.88 million tonnes | +203.0% |
| 1982 | 23.36 million tonnes | -19.1% |
| 1983 | 11.47 million tonnes | -50.9% |
| 1984 | 23.69 million tonnes | +106.6% |
| 1985 | 8.27 million tonnes | -65.1% |
| 1986 | 6.64 million tonnes | -19.7% |
| 1987 | -1.83 million tonnes | -127.6% |
| 1988 | 13.99 million tonnes | -865.0% |
| 1989 | -1.95 million tonnes | -113.9% |
| 1990 | -27.78 million tonnes | +1326.6% |
| 1991 | 13.10 million tonnes | -147.1% |
| 1992 | -24.70 million tonnes | -288.6% |
| 1993 | 19.02 million tonnes | -177.0% |
| 1994 | 18.35 million tonnes | -3.5% |
| 1995 | 23.01 million tonnes | +25.4% |
| 1996 | 2.02 million tonnes | -91.2% |
| 1997 | 21.48 million tonnes | +963.3% |
| 1998 | -7.94 million tonnes | -137.0% |
| 1999 | -2.40 million tonnes | -69.7% |
| 2000 | 3.46 million tonnes | -244.0% |
| 2001 | -6.73 million tonnes | -294.3% |
| 2002 | -15.10 million tonnes | +124.4% |
| 2003 | 47.90 million tonnes | -417.2% |
| 2004 | 44.92 million tonnes | -6.2% |
| 2005 | -33.12 million tonnes | -173.7% |
| 2006 | 30.54 million tonnes | -192.2% |
| 2007 | 18.29 million tonnes | -40.1% |
| 2008 | 29.64 million tonnes | +62.1% |
| 2009 | -20.16 million tonnes | -168.0% |
| 2010 | -7.16 million tonnes | -64.5% |
| 2011 | 6.92 million tonnes | -196.7% |
| 2012 | -12.83 million tonnes | -285.5% |
| 2013 | -5.25 million tonnes | -59.1% |
| 2014 | 25.45 million tonnes | -584.7% |
| 2015 | -24.16 million tonnes | -194.9% |
| 2016 | -423,488 tonnes | -98.2% |
| 2017 | -17.04 million tonnes | +3923.6% |
| 2018 | 13.76 million tonnes | -180.7% |
| 2019 | 16.96 million tonnes | +23.3% |
| 2020 | -35.43 million tonnes | -308.9% |
| 2021 | 4.17 million tonnes | -111.8% |
| 2022 | -10.68 million tonnes | -356.4% |
| 2023 | 7.82 million tonnes | -173.2% |
| 2024 | 3.23 million tonnes | -58.8% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 3.23 million tonnes is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 98,432 tonnes, 32.8× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 3.23 million tonnes is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 46,780 tonnes, 69.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Year-on-year change in CO₂ emissions in South Africa 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | +5722.8% | 94,888 tonnes | 5.53 million tonnes |
| 2017 | -3923.6% | -423,488 tonnes | -17.04 million tonnes |
| 1916 | +2903.3% | 109,920 tonnes | 3.30 million tonnes |
| 1954 | +1939.3% | 142,472 tonnes | 2.91 million tonnes |
| 1929 | +1738.8% | 62,288 tonnes | 1.15 million tonnes |
| 1944 | +1602.4% | 340,868 tonnes | 5.80 million tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 21,984 tonnes | 0 tonnes | 51,296 tonnes | 5 |
| 1890s | 538,608 tonnes | -531,280 tonnes | 1.32 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1900s | 945,679 tonnes | -3.19 million tonnes | 1.97 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1910s | 816,339 tonnes | -1.12 million tonnes | 3.30 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1920s | 763,065 tonnes | -3.63 million tonnes | 4.66 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1930s | 938,847 tonnes | -3.15 million tonnes | 3.54 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1940s | 2.04 million tonnes | -209,144 tonnes | 5.80 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1950s | 3.39 million tonnes | -1.78 million tonnes | 9.05 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1960s | 4.87 million tonnes | 94,888 tonnes | 9.82 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1970s | 7.55 million tonnes | 1.80 million tonnes | 18.79 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 12.20 million tonnes | -1.95 million tonnes | 28.88 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.42 million tonnes | -27.78 million tonnes | 23.01 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 9.96 million tonnes | -33.12 million tonnes | 47.90 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | -378,487 tonnes | -24.16 million tonnes | 25.45 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | -6.18 million tonnes | -35.43 million tonnes | 7.82 million tonnes | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More climate change data for South Africa
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 717.27 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 34,365 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 11,741 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 22,624 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 44.31 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 807.99 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 5,495 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 5,119 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 376.6 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 19.32 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is year-on-year change in co₂ emissions in South Africa?
- Year-on-year change in co₂ emissions in South Africa was 3.23 million 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 South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 47.90 million tonnes in 2003.
- What is the lowest year-on-year change in co₂ emissions recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was -35.43 million tonnes in 2020.
- How does South Africa rank for year-on-year change in co₂ emissions?
- South Africa ranks 22nd out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is year-on-year change in co₂ emissions rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 87.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa 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 — 140 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.