Carbon stock change in forests — Net emissions/removals (CO2) in South America

South America: Carbon stock change in forests — Net emissions/removals (CO2) was 1.28 million kt in 2025. ▼ Falling

Latest (2025)
1.28 million kt
Change on year
unchanged
Rank
1st
of 31 groups
All-time high
2.03 million kt
in 1990
All-time low
682,059 kt
in 2011
Years of data
36
1990–2025

Carbon stock change in forests — Net emissions/removals (CO2) in South America, 1990–2025

500.0k1.0M1.5M2.0M1990200720251990: 2.0M kt1991: 2.0M kt1992: 2.0M kt1993: 2.0M kt1994: 2.0M kt1995: 2.0M kt1996: 2.0M kt1997: 2.0M kt1998: 2.0M kt1999: 2.0M kt2000: 2.0M kt2001: 1.4M kt2002: 1.4M kt2003: 1.4M kt2004: 1.4M kt2005: 1.4M kt2006: 1.4M kt2007: 1.4M kt2008: 1.4M kt2009: 1.4M kt2010: 1.4M kt2011: 682.1k kt2012: 682.1k kt2013: 682.1k kt2014: 682.1k kt2015: 682.1k kt2016: 1.1M kt2017: 1.1M kt2018: 1.1M kt2019: 1.1M kt2020: 1.1M kt2021: 1.3M kt2022: 1.3M kt2023: 1.3M kt2024: 1.3M kt2025: 1.3M kt

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in kt.

Analysis

The most recent figure for carbon stock change in forests — net emissions/removals (co2) in South America is 1.28 million kt, measured in 2025.

The figure is up 87.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, carbon stock change in forests — net emissions/removals (co2) in South America peaked at 2.03 million kt in 1990 and was at its lowest, 682,059 kt, in 2011.

South America ranks 1st of 31 groups on this measure, in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.

Carbon stock change in forests — Net emissions/removals (CO2) in South America, year by year

Annual values for Carbon stock change in forests — Net emissions/removals (CO2) (Forest land) in South America, 1990 to 2025.
Year kt Change
1990 2.03 million kt
1991 2.03 million kt +0.0%
1992 2.03 million kt +0.0%
1993 2.03 million kt +0.0%
1994 2.03 million kt +0.0%
1995 2.03 million kt +0.0%
1996 2.03 million kt +0.0%
1997 2.03 million kt +0.0%
1998 2.03 million kt +0.0%
1999 2.03 million kt +0.0%
2000 2.03 million kt +0.0%
2001 1.43 million kt -29.7%
2002 1.43 million kt +0.0%
2003 1.43 million kt +0.0%
2004 1.43 million kt +0.0%
2005 1.43 million kt +0.0%
2006 1.43 million kt +0.0%
2007 1.43 million kt +0.0%
2008 1.43 million kt +0.0%
2009 1.43 million kt +0.0%
2010 1.43 million kt +0.0%
2011 682,059 kt -52.3%
2012 682,059 kt +0.0%
2013 682,059 kt +0.0%
2014 682,059 kt +0.0%
2015 682,059 kt +0.0%
2016 1.08 million kt +58.6%
2017 1.08 million kt +0.0%
2018 1.08 million kt +0.0%
2019 1.08 million kt +0.0%
2020 1.08 million kt +0.0%
2021 1.28 million kt +18.3%
2022 1.28 million kt +0.0%
2023 1.28 million kt +0.0%
2024 1.28 million kt +0.0%
2025 1.28 million kt +0.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 2.03 million kt 2.03 million kt 2.03 million kt 10
2000s 1.49 million kt 1.43 million kt 2.03 million kt 10
2010s 916,622 kt 682,059 kt 1.43 million kt 10
2020s 1.25 million kt 1.08 million kt 1.28 million kt 6

Countries ranked near South America

  1. 1 Brazil 905,806 kt compare
  2. 2 Peru 127,923 kt compare
  3. 3 Canada 103,437 kt compare
  4. 3 Democratic Republic of the Congo 154,748 kt compare
  5. 4 Bolivia (Plurinational State of) 61,541 kt compare
  6. 4 Cambodia 70,026 kt compare

See the full ranking of 275 places →

More climate change data for South America

All data for South America →

Frequently asked questions

What is carbon stock change in forests — net emissions/removals (co2) in South America?
Carbon stock change in forests — net emissions/removals (co2) in South America was 1.28 million kt in 2025, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
What is the highest carbon stock change in forests — net emissions/removals (co2) recorded in South America?
The highest recorded value was 2.03 million kt in 1990.
What is the lowest carbon stock change in forests — net emissions/removals (co2) recorded in South America?
The lowest recorded value was 682,059 kt in 2011.
How does South America rank for carbon stock change in forests — net emissions/removals (co2)?
South America ranks 1st out of 31 groups with data for 2025.
Is carbon stock change in forests — net emissions/removals (co2) rising or falling in South America?
Over the last ten years it is up 87.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this South America data come from?
The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, published as part of Carbon stock change in forests — Net emissions/removals (CO2) (Forest land). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Carbon stock change in forests — Net emissions/removals (CO2) in South America. Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Retrieved 12 September 2026, from https://climate.statizoid.com/stat/carbon-stock-change-in-forests-net-emissions-removals-co2-forest-land-fao-tier-1/south-america/

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About this data

Indicator
Carbon stock change in forests — Net emissions/removals (CO2) (Forest land)
Unit
kt
Source
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Licence
CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (FAO)
Coverage
275 places, 9,600 data points, 1990–2025
Last refreshed

The FAOSTAT domain on Emissions from Forests consists of CO2 emissions and removals corresponding to forest carbon stock changes (aboveground and belowground living biomass). Estimates are computed following the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories (IPCC, 2006).