Consumption-based carbon intensity in Australia
Australia: Consumption-based carbon intensity was 0.2716 kilograms per international-$ in 2022. ▼ Falling
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-$, in 2022.
That places Australia 47th out of 119 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 33 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.4886 kilograms per international-$ | 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
- Share of global CO₂ emissions and population 0.4% (2100)
- Population growth 1.5% (2025)
- Population, total 27.61 million (2025)
- Urban population growth 1.7% (2025)
- Urban population 24.22 million (2025)
- Urban population 87.7% (2025)
- CO₂ emissions per capita vs. GDP per capita 14.48 tonnes per person (2024)
- Cumulative CO₂ emissions 20.04 billion tonnes (2024)
- CO₂ emissions per capita 14.48 tonnes per person (2024)
- CO₂ emissions per capita vs. share of electricity generation from renewables 14.48 tonnes per person (2024)
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-$).