Lifecycle carbon intensity of electricity in Malawi
Malawi: Lifecycle carbon intensity of electricity was 54.65 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
54.65 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
197th
of 213 countries
All-time high
143.65 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour
in 2018
All-time low
26.18 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour
in 2017
Years of data
25
2000–2024
Lifecycle carbon intensity of electricity in Malawi, 2000–2024
Source: Ember (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour.
Analysis
In 2024, lifecycle carbon intensity of electricity in Malawi stood at 54.65 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 15.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, lifecycle carbon intensity of electricity in Malawi peaked at 143.65 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour in 2018 and was at its lowest, 26.18 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour, in 2017.
That places Malawi 197th out of 213 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
Lifecycle carbon intensity of electricity in Malawi, year by year
| Year | grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 99.17 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour | — |
| 2001 | 90.16 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour | -9.1% |
| 2002 | 101.56 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour | +12.6% |
| 2003 | 91.6 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour | -9.8% |
| 2004 | 95.24 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour | +4.0% |
| 2005 | 98.04 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour | +2.9% |
| 2006 | 95.54 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour | -2.5% |
| 2007 | 88.61 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour | -7.3% |
| 2008 | 76.47 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour | -13.7% |
| 2009 | 77.84 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour | +1.8% |
| 2010 | 67.71 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour | -13.0% |
| 2011 | 65.99 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour | -2.5% |
| 2012 | 68.29 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour | +3.5% |
| 2013 | 68.29 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 64.52 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour | -5.5% |
| 2015 | 69.12 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour | +7.1% |
| 2016 | 69.77 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour | +0.9% |
| 2017 | 26.18 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour | -62.5% |
| 2018 | 143.65 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour | +448.7% |
| 2019 | 55.56 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour | -61.3% |
| 2020 | 34.29 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour | -38.3% |
| 2021 | 54.65 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour | +59.4% |
| 2022 | 54.65 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 54.65 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 54.65 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour | +0.0% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 54.65 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour is below the median for low income countries, which is 353.98 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour, 15% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 54.65 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 443.9 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour, 12% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Lifecycle carbon intensity of electricity in Malawi 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | +448.7% | 26.18 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour | 143.65 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour |
| 2017 | -62.5% | 69.77 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour | 26.18 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour |
| 2019 | -61.3% | 143.65 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour | 55.56 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour |
| 2021 | +59.4% | 34.29 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour | 54.65 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 91.42 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour | 76.47 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour | 101.56 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour | 10 |
| 2010s | 69.91 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour | 26.18 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour | 143.65 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour | 10 |
| 2020s | 50.58 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour | 34.29 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour | 54.65 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour | 5 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 194 Tajikistan 72.56 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour compare
- 195 Uganda 58.52 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour compare
- 196 Finland 57.47 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour compare
- 198 Namibia 48.78 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour compare
- 199 Sierra Leone 47.62 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour compare
- 200 France 41.44 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour compare
More climate change data for Malawi
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 415.04 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 4,106 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 1,605 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 2,501 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 6.06 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 89.31 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 3,185 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 2,819 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 366.56 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 10.64 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is lifecycle carbon intensity of electricity in Malawi?
- Lifecycle carbon intensity of electricity in Malawi was 54.65 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour in 2024, according to Ember (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest lifecycle carbon intensity of electricity recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 143.65 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour in 2018.
- What is the lowest lifecycle carbon intensity of electricity recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 26.18 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour in 2017.
- How does Malawi rank for lifecycle carbon intensity of electricity?
- Malawi ranks 197th out of 213 countries with data for 2024.
- Is lifecycle carbon intensity of electricity rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 15.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from Ember (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Lifecycle carbon intensity of electricity. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Greenhouse gases emitted per unit of generated electricity, measured in grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour.