Carbon stock change in forests — Net emissions/removals (CO2) in Southern Africa
Southern Africa: Carbon stock change in forests — Net emissions/removals (CO2) was -74,470 kt in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Carbon stock change in forests — Net emissions/removals (CO2) in Southern Africa, 1990–2025
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in kt.
Analysis
In 2025, carbon stock change in forests — net emissions/removals (co2) in Southern Africa stood at -74,470 kt. That is the lowest value across all 36 years on record.
The figure is down 452.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, carbon stock change in forests — net emissions/removals (co2) in Southern Africa peaked at 46,721 kt in 2016 and was at its lowest, -74,470 kt, in 2021.
That places Southern Africa 23rd out of 31 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Carbon stock change in forests — Net emissions/removals (CO2) in Southern Africa, year by year
| Year | kt | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | -3,194 kt | — |
| 1991 | -3,194 kt | -0.0% |
| 1992 | -3,194 kt | -0.0% |
| 1993 | -3,194 kt | -0.0% |
| 1994 | -3,194 kt | -0.0% |
| 1995 | -3,194 kt | -0.0% |
| 1996 | -3,194 kt | -0.0% |
| 1997 | -3,194 kt | -0.0% |
| 1998 | -3,194 kt | -0.0% |
| 1999 | -3,194 kt | -0.0% |
| 2000 | -3,194 kt | -0.0% |
| 2001 | -13,757 kt | +330.8% |
| 2002 | -13,757 kt | -0.0% |
| 2003 | -13,757 kt | -0.0% |
| 2004 | -13,757 kt | -0.0% |
| 2005 | -13,757 kt | -0.0% |
| 2006 | -13,757 kt | -0.0% |
| 2007 | -13,757 kt | -0.0% |
| 2008 | -13,757 kt | -0.0% |
| 2009 | -13,757 kt | -0.0% |
| 2010 | -13,757 kt | -0.0% |
| 2011 | -13,486 kt | -2.0% |
| 2012 | -13,486 kt | -0.0% |
| 2013 | -13,486 kt | -0.0% |
| 2014 | -13,486 kt | -0.0% |
| 2015 | -13,486 kt | -0.0% |
| 2016 | 46,721 kt | -446.4% |
| 2017 | 46,721 kt | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 46,721 kt | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 46,721 kt | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 46,721 kt | +0.0% |
| 2021 | -74,470 kt | -259.4% |
| 2022 | -74,470 kt | -0.0% |
| 2023 | -74,470 kt | -0.0% |
| 2024 | -74,470 kt | -0.0% |
| 2025 | -74,470 kt | -0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | -3,194 kt | -3,194 kt | -3,194 kt | 10 |
| 2000s | -12,701 kt | -13,757 kt | -3,194 kt | 10 |
| 2010s | 10,570 kt | -13,757 kt | 46,721 kt | 10 |
| 2020s | -54,272 kt | -74,470 kt | 46,721 kt | 6 |
Countries ranked near Southern Africa
More climate change data for Southern Africa
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 739.86 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 48,717 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 16,474 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 32,243 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 62.17 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 1,152 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 5,709 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 5,306 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 402.74 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 20.02 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is carbon stock change in forests — net emissions/removals (co2) in Southern Africa?
- Carbon stock change in forests — net emissions/removals (co2) in Southern Africa was -74,470 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 Southern Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 46,721 kt in 2016.
- What is the lowest carbon stock change in forests — net emissions/removals (co2) recorded in Southern Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was -74,470 kt in 2021.
- How does Southern Africa rank for carbon stock change in forests — net emissions/removals (co2)?
- Southern Africa ranks 23rd out of 31 groups with data for 2025.
- Is carbon stock change in forests — net emissions/removals (co2) rising or falling in Southern Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 452.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Southern Africa 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (FAO).
About this data
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).