Consumption-based carbon intensity in Australia
Australia: Consumption-based carbon intensity was 0.2716 kilograms per international-$ in 2022. ▼ Falling
Latest (2022)
0.2716 kilograms per international-$
Change on year
down 3.0%
World rank
47th
of 119 countries
All-time high
0.532 kilograms per international-$
in 1991
All-time low
0.2716 kilograms per international-$
in 2022
Years of data
33
1990–2022
Consumption-based carbon intensity in Australia, 1990–2022
Source: Global Carbon Budget (2025); Bolt and van Zanden – Maddison Project Database 2023 – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in kilograms per international-$.
Analysis
In 2022, consumption-based carbon intensity in Australia stood at 0.2716 kilograms per international-$. That is the lowest value across all 33 years on record.
That represents a change of down 3.0% on the previous year and down 30.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, consumption-based carbon intensity in Australia peaked at 0.532 kilograms per international-$ in 1991 and was at its lowest, 0.2716 kilograms per international-$, in 2022.
That places Australia 47th out of 119 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 33 years of available data.
Consumption-based carbon intensity in Australia, year by year
| Year | kilograms per international-$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 0.5272 kilograms per international-$ | — |
| 1991 | 0.532 kilograms per international-$ | +0.9% |
| 1992 | 0.5183 kilograms per international-$ | -2.6% |
| 1993 | 0.496 kilograms per international-$ | -4.3% |
| 1994 | 0.4885 kilograms per international-$ | -1.5% |
| 1995 | 0.4803 kilograms per international-$ | -1.7% |
| 1996 | 0.4693 kilograms per international-$ | -2.3% |
| 1997 | 0.4591 kilograms per international-$ | -2.2% |
| 1998 | 0.4627 kilograms per international-$ | +0.8% |
| 1999 | 0.4522 kilograms per international-$ | -2.3% |
| 2000 | 0.422 kilograms per international-$ | -6.7% |
| 2001 | 0.4213 kilograms per international-$ | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 0.4296 kilograms per international-$ | +2.0% |
| 2003 | 0.4423 kilograms per international-$ | +2.9% |
| 2004 | 0.4343 kilograms per international-$ | -1.8% |
| 2005 | 0.4187 kilograms per international-$ | -3.6% |
| 2006 | 0.4201 kilograms per international-$ | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 0.4129 kilograms per international-$ | -1.7% |
| 2008 | 0.3971 kilograms per international-$ | -3.8% |
| 2009 | 0.414 kilograms per international-$ | +4.2% |
| 2010 | 0.4017 kilograms per international-$ | -3.0% |
| 2011 | 0.3899 kilograms per international-$ | -2.9% |
| 2012 | 0.3888 kilograms per international-$ | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 0.3556 kilograms per international-$ | -8.5% |
| 2014 | 0.3452 kilograms per international-$ | -2.9% |
| 2015 | 0.3399 kilograms per international-$ | -1.5% |
| 2016 | 0.3333 kilograms per international-$ | -1.9% |
| 2017 | 0.3306 kilograms per international-$ | -0.8% |
| 2018 | 0.3137 kilograms per international-$ | -5.1% |
| 2019 | 0.3056 kilograms per international-$ | -2.6% |
| 2020 | 0.3038 kilograms per international-$ | -0.6% |
| 2021 | 0.28 kilograms per international-$ | -7.8% |
| 2022 | 0.2716 kilograms per international-$ | -3.0% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 0.2716 kilograms per international-$ is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.2507 kilograms per international-$, 1.1× the median. (51 countries reporting)
- Australia's 0.2716 kilograms per international-$ is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.2843 kilograms per international-$, 96% of the median. (15 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.4886 kilograms per international-$ | 0.4522 kilograms per international-$ | 0.532 kilograms per international-$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.4212 kilograms per international-$ | 0.3971 kilograms per international-$ | 0.4423 kilograms per international-$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.3504 kilograms per international-$ | 0.3056 kilograms per international-$ | 0.4017 kilograms per international-$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.2851 kilograms per international-$ | 0.2716 kilograms per international-$ | 0.3038 kilograms per international-$ | 3 |
Countries ranked near Australia
- 44 Mexico 0.2742 kilograms per international-$ compare
- 45 Vietnam 0.2733 kilograms per international-$ compare
- 46 Tajikistan 0.2725 kilograms per international-$ compare
- 48 Greece 0.2703 kilograms per international-$ compare
- 49 Guinea 0.2699 kilograms per international-$ compare
- 50 Ecuador 0.2691 kilograms per international-$ compare
More climate change data for Australia
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 1.30 billion kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 118,578 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 34,162 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 84,416 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 128.91 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 3,015 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 12,473 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 10,966 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 1,507 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 41.38 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is consumption-based carbon intensity in Australia?
- Consumption-based carbon intensity in Australia was 0.2716 kilograms per international-$ in 2022, according to Global Carbon Budget (2025); Bolt and van Zanden – Maddison Project Database 2023 – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest consumption-based carbon intensity recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 0.532 kilograms per international-$ in 1991.
- What is the lowest consumption-based carbon intensity recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.2716 kilograms per international-$ in 2022.
- How does Australia rank for consumption-based carbon intensity?
- Australia ranks 47th out of 119 countries with data for 2022.
- Is consumption-based carbon intensity rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 30.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from Global Carbon Budget (2025); Bolt and van Zanden – Maddison Project Database 2023 – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Consumption-based carbon intensity. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 33 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Annual consumption-based emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂), measured in kilograms per dollar of GDP (2011 international-$).