Consumption-based carbon intensity in South Africa
South Africa: Consumption-based carbon intensity was 0.4399 kilograms per international-$ in 2022. ▼ Falling
Latest (2022)
0.4399 kilograms per international-$
Change on year
down 4.9%
World rank
15th
of 119 countries
All-time high
1.37 kilograms per international-$
in 1991
All-time low
0.4399 kilograms per international-$
in 2022
Years of data
33
1990–2022
Consumption-based carbon intensity in South Africa, 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-$.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 0.4399 kilograms per international-$ for consumption-based carbon intensity in 2022. That is the lowest value across all 33 years on record.
The figure is down 4.9% on the previous year and down 17.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, consumption-based carbon intensity in South Africa peaked at 1.37 kilograms per international-$ in 1991 and was at its lowest, 0.4399 kilograms per international-$, in 2022.
That places South Africa 15th out of 119 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 33 years of available data.
Consumption-based carbon intensity in South Africa, year by year
| Year | kilograms per international-$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 1.33 kilograms per international-$ | — |
| 1991 | 1.37 kilograms per international-$ | +3.0% |
| 1992 | 1.26 kilograms per international-$ | -7.8% |
| 1993 | 1.3 kilograms per international-$ | +2.6% |
| 1994 | 1.29 kilograms per international-$ | -0.2% |
| 1995 | 1.3 kilograms per international-$ | +0.7% |
| 1996 | 1.23 kilograms per international-$ | -6.0% |
| 1997 | 1.23 kilograms per international-$ | +0.8% |
| 1998 | 1.18 kilograms per international-$ | -4.6% |
| 1999 | 1.12 kilograms per international-$ | -4.9% |
| 2000 | 0.8057 kilograms per international-$ | -28.1% |
| 2001 | 0.7315 kilograms per international-$ | -9.2% |
| 2002 | 0.6439 kilograms per international-$ | -12.0% |
| 2003 | 0.665 kilograms per international-$ | +3.3% |
| 2004 | 0.7265 kilograms per international-$ | +9.2% |
| 2005 | 0.6295 kilograms per international-$ | -13.4% |
| 2006 | 0.6613 kilograms per international-$ | +5.1% |
| 2007 | 0.6286 kilograms per international-$ | -4.9% |
| 2008 | 0.596 kilograms per international-$ | -5.2% |
| 2009 | 0.6151 kilograms per international-$ | +3.2% |
| 2010 | 0.5759 kilograms per international-$ | -6.4% |
| 2011 | 0.5474 kilograms per international-$ | -5.0% |
| 2012 | 0.5302 kilograms per international-$ | -3.1% |
| 2013 | 0.5271 kilograms per international-$ | -0.6% |
| 2014 | 0.5269 kilograms per international-$ | -0.0% |
| 2015 | 0.5033 kilograms per international-$ | -4.5% |
| 2016 | 0.5058 kilograms per international-$ | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 0.4903 kilograms per international-$ | -3.1% |
| 2018 | 0.4939 kilograms per international-$ | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 0.5092 kilograms per international-$ | +3.1% |
| 2020 | 0.4962 kilograms per international-$ | -2.6% |
| 2021 | 0.4626 kilograms per international-$ | -6.8% |
| 2022 | 0.4399 kilograms per international-$ | -4.9% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 0.4399 kilograms per international-$ is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.2498 kilograms per international-$, 1.8× the median. (32 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 0.4399 kilograms per international-$ is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.1814 kilograms per international-$, 2.4× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1.26 kilograms per international-$ | 1.12 kilograms per international-$ | 1.37 kilograms per international-$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.6703 kilograms per international-$ | 0.596 kilograms per international-$ | 0.8057 kilograms per international-$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.521 kilograms per international-$ | 0.4903 kilograms per international-$ | 0.5759 kilograms per international-$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.4662 kilograms per international-$ | 0.4399 kilograms per international-$ | 0.4962 kilograms per international-$ | 3 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 12 Oman 0.4578 kilograms per international-$ compare
- 13 Trinidad and Tobago 0.4487 kilograms per international-$ compare
- 14 Namibia 0.4466 kilograms per international-$ compare
- 16 Singapore 0.4235 kilograms per international-$ compare
- 17 Belgium 0.4229 kilograms per international-$ compare
- 18 Jamaica 0.4216 kilograms per international-$ compare
More climate change data for South Africa
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 717.27 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 34,365 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 11,741 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 22,624 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 44.31 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 807.99 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 5,495 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 5,119 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 376.6 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 19.32 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is consumption-based carbon intensity in South Africa?
- Consumption-based carbon intensity in South Africa was 0.4399 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 South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 1.37 kilograms per international-$ in 1991.
- What is the lowest consumption-based carbon intensity recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.4399 kilograms per international-$ in 2022.
- How does South Africa rank for consumption-based carbon intensity?
- South Africa ranks 15th out of 119 countries with data for 2022.
- Is consumption-based carbon intensity rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa 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-$).