Statizoid

Cumulative CO₂ emissions from land-use change in Australia

Australia: Cumulative CO₂ emissions from land-use change was 13.97 billion tonnes in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
13.97 billion tonnes
Change on year
up 0.3%
World rank
15th
of 197 countries
All-time high
13.97 billion tonnes
in 2024
All-time low
8.67 million tonnes
in 1850
Years of data
175
1850–2024

Cumulative CO₂ emissions from land-use change in Australia, 1850–2024

05.0B10.0B15.0B185019372024

Source: Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.

Analysis

The most recent figure for cumulative co₂ emissions from land-use change in Australia is 13.97 billion tonnes, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 175 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 4.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, cumulative co₂ emissions from land-use change in Australia peaked at 13.97 billion tonnes in 2024 and was at its lowest, 8.67 million tonnes, in 1850.

That places Australia 15th out of 197 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Cumulative CO₂ emissions from land-use change in Australia, year by year

Year tonnes Change
1850 8.67 million tonnes —
1851 17.48 million tonnes +101.7%
1852 27.04 million tonnes +54.7%
1853 37.90 million tonnes +40.2%
1854 49.08 million tonnes +29.5%
1855 60.33 million tonnes +22.9%
1856 71.94 million tonnes +19.2%
1857 83.61 million tonnes +16.2%
1858 96.03 million tonnes +14.9%
1859 108.29 million tonnes +12.8%
1860 122.00 million tonnes +12.7%
1861 136.63 million tonnes +12.0%
1862 151.99 million tonnes +11.2%
1863 167.61 million tonnes +10.3%
1864 182.75 million tonnes +9.0%
1865 199.78 million tonnes +9.3%
1866 216.83 million tonnes +8.5%
1867 234.17 million tonnes +8.0%
1868 251.28 million tonnes +7.3%
1869 268.57 million tonnes +6.9%
1870 290.50 million tonnes +8.2%
1871 316.78 million tonnes +9.0%
1872 344.09 million tonnes +8.6%
1873 372.22 million tonnes +8.2%
1874 401.72 million tonnes +7.9%
1875 431.15 million tonnes +7.3%
1876 463.01 million tonnes +7.4%
1877 495.06 million tonnes +6.9%
1878 526.57 million tonnes +6.4%
1879 558.67 million tonnes +6.1%
1880 587.76 million tonnes +5.2%
1881 615.72 million tonnes +4.8%
1882 642.18 million tonnes +4.3%
1883 669.03 million tonnes +4.2%
1884 696.12 million tonnes +4.0%
1885 722.57 million tonnes +3.8%
1886 748.43 million tonnes +3.6%
1887 775.22 million tonnes +3.6%
1888 801.62 million tonnes +3.4%
1889 828.05 million tonnes +3.3%
1890 864.09 million tonnes +4.4%
1891 902.70 million tonnes +4.5%
1892 944.78 million tonnes +4.7%
1893 988.93 million tonnes +4.7%
1894 1.03 billion tonnes +4.6%
1895 1.08 billion tonnes +4.5%
1896 1.13 billion tonnes +4.4%
1897 1.18 billion tonnes +4.4%
1898 1.23 billion tonnes +4.2%
1899 1.28 billion tonnes +4.1%
1900 1.33 billion tonnes +3.8%
1901 1.38 billion tonnes +3.7%
1902 1.42 billion tonnes +3.5%
1903 1.47 billion tonnes +3.4%
1904 1.52 billion tonnes +3.3%
1905 1.57 billion tonnes +3.2%
1906 1.62 billion tonnes +3.1%
1907 1.67 billion tonnes +3.1%
1908 1.71 billion tonnes +2.9%
1909 1.76 billion tonnes +2.9%
1910 1.81 billion tonnes +2.6%
1911 1.85 billion tonnes +2.4%
1912 1.89 billion tonnes +2.4%
1913 1.94 billion tonnes +2.3%
1914 1.98 billion tonnes +2.1%
1915 2.02 billion tonnes +2.2%
1916 2.06 billion tonnes +2.1%
1917 2.10 billion tonnes +2.0%
1918 2.15 billion tonnes +1.9%
1919 2.19 billion tonnes +1.9%
1920 2.28 billion tonnes +4.3%
1921 2.40 billion tonnes +5.1%
1922 2.53 billion tonnes +5.6%
1923 2.67 billion tonnes +5.6%
1924 2.83 billion tonnes +5.7%
1925 2.98 billion tonnes +5.6%
1926 3.15 billion tonnes +5.5%
1927 3.32 billion tonnes +5.4%
1928 3.49 billion tonnes +5.2%
1929 3.67 billion tonnes +5.1%
1930 3.79 billion tonnes +3.4%
1931 3.89 billion tonnes +2.6%
1932 3.98 billion tonnes +2.3%
1933 4.06 billion tonnes +2.0%
1934 4.13 billion tonnes +1.7%
1935 4.20 billion tonnes +1.6%
1936 4.26 billion tonnes +1.4%
1937 4.32 billion tonnes +1.3%
1938 4.37 billion tonnes +1.3%
1939 4.42 billion tonnes +1.2%
1940 4.47 billion tonnes +1.2%
1941 4.52 billion tonnes +1.1%
1942 4.58 billion tonnes +1.2%
1943 4.63 billion tonnes +1.1%
1944 4.68 billion tonnes +1.1%
1945 4.73 billion tonnes +1.1%
1946 4.78 billion tonnes +1.0%
1947 4.83 billion tonnes +1.0%
1948 4.88 billion tonnes +1.0%
1949 4.92 billion tonnes +1.0%
1950 5.02 billion tonnes +1.9%
1951 5.13 billion tonnes +2.3%
1952 5.26 billion tonnes +2.5%
1953 5.40 billion tonnes +2.7%
1954 5.56 billion tonnes +2.9%
1955 5.72 billion tonnes +3.0%
1956 5.89 billion tonnes +3.0%
1957 6.08 billion tonnes +3.2%
1958 6.27 billion tonnes +3.2%
1959 6.47 billion tonnes +3.1%
1960 6.64 billion tonnes +2.6%
1961 6.86 billion tonnes +3.3%
1962 7.00 billion tonnes +2.1%
1963 7.19 billion tonnes +2.7%
1964 7.41 billion tonnes +3.1%
1965 7.67 billion tonnes +3.5%
1966 7.88 billion tonnes +2.8%
1967 8.28 billion tonnes +5.1%
1968 8.49 billion tonnes +2.5%
1969 8.60 billion tonnes +1.4%
1970 8.66 billion tonnes +0.6%
1971 8.72 billion tonnes +0.7%
1972 8.71 billion tonnes -0.0%
1973 8.71 billion tonnes -0.0%
1974 8.68 billion tonnes -0.4%
1975 8.72 billion tonnes +0.5%
1976 8.75 billion tonnes +0.4%
1977 8.91 billion tonnes +1.8%
1978 9.02 billion tonnes +1.3%
1979 9.13 billion tonnes +1.2%
1980 9.23 billion tonnes +1.0%
1981 9.38 billion tonnes +1.6%
1982 9.45 billion tonnes +0.8%
1983 9.70 billion tonnes +2.6%
1984 9.82 billion tonnes +1.2%
1985 9.89 billion tonnes +0.7%
1986 9.91 billion tonnes +0.2%
1987 9.89 billion tonnes -0.2%
1988 9.86 billion tonnes -0.3%
1989 9.82 billion tonnes -0.4%
1990 9.81 billion tonnes -0.2%
1991 9.76 billion tonnes -0.5%
1992 9.78 billion tonnes +0.3%
1993 9.83 billion tonnes +0.4%
1994 9.85 billion tonnes +0.2%
1995 10.04 billion tonnes +2.0%
1996 10.25 billion tonnes +2.0%
1997 10.39 billion tonnes +1.4%
1998 10.59 billion tonnes +2.0%
1999 10.74 billion tonnes +1.4%
2000 10.96 billion tonnes +2.0%
2001 11.07 billion tonnes +1.0%
2002 11.14 billion tonnes +0.6%
2003 11.37 billion tonnes +2.1%
2004 11.56 billion tonnes +1.7%
2005 11.63 billion tonnes +0.7%
2006 11.66 billion tonnes +0.2%
2007 11.74 billion tonnes +0.7%
2008 12.02 billion tonnes +2.4%
2009 12.13 billion tonnes +0.9%
2010 12.68 billion tonnes +4.5%
2011 12.97 billion tonnes +2.2%
2012 13.13 billion tonnes +1.3%
2013 13.29 billion tonnes +1.3%
2014 13.38 billion tonnes +0.6%
2015 13.42 billion tonnes +0.3%
2016 13.51 billion tonnes +0.7%
2017 13.60 billion tonnes +0.7%
2018 13.65 billion tonnes +0.4%
2019 13.69 billion tonnes +0.3%
2020 13.79 billion tonnes +0.7%
2021 13.84 billion tonnes +0.4%
2022 13.89 billion tonnes +0.3%
2023 13.93 billion tonnes +0.3%
2024 13.97 billion tonnes +0.3%

Australia compared with similar countries

  • Australia's 13.97 billion tonnes is above the median for high income countries, which is 323.46 million tonnes, 43.2× the median. (64 countries reporting)
  • Australia's 13.97 billion tonnes is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1.03 billion tonnes, 13.6× the median. (30 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Cumulative CO₂ emissions from land-use change in Australia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.

YearChange FromTo
1851 +101.7% 8.67 million tonnes 17.48 million tonnes
1852 +54.7% 17.48 million tonnes 27.04 million tonnes
1853 +40.2% 27.04 million tonnes 37.90 million tonnes
1854 +29.5% 37.90 million tonnes 49.08 million tonnes

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1850s 56.04 million tonnes 8.67 million tonnes 108.29 million tonnes 10
1860s 193.16 million tonnes 122.00 million tonnes 268.57 million tonnes 10
1870s 419.98 million tonnes 290.50 million tonnes 558.67 million tonnes 10
1880s 708.67 million tonnes 587.76 million tonnes 828.05 million tonnes 10
1890s 1.06 billion tonnes 864.09 million tonnes 1.28 billion tonnes 10
1900s 1.54 billion tonnes 1.33 billion tonnes 1.76 billion tonnes 10
1910s 2.00 billion tonnes 1.81 billion tonnes 2.19 billion tonnes 10
1920s 2.93 billion tonnes 2.28 billion tonnes 3.67 billion tonnes 10
1930s 4.14 billion tonnes 3.79 billion tonnes 4.42 billion tonnes 10
1940s 4.70 billion tonnes 4.47 billion tonnes 4.92 billion tonnes 10
1950s 5.68 billion tonnes 5.02 billion tonnes 6.47 billion tonnes 10
1960s 7.60 billion tonnes 6.64 billion tonnes 8.60 billion tonnes 10
1970s 8.80 billion tonnes 8.66 billion tonnes 9.13 billion tonnes 10
1980s 9.70 billion tonnes 9.23 billion tonnes 9.91 billion tonnes 10
1990s 10.10 billion tonnes 9.76 billion tonnes 10.74 billion tonnes 10
2000s 11.53 billion tonnes 10.96 billion tonnes 12.13 billion tonnes 10
2010s 13.33 billion tonnes 12.68 billion tonnes 13.69 billion tonnes 10
2020s 13.88 billion tonnes 13.79 billion tonnes 13.97 billion tonnes 5

Countries ranked near Australia

  1. 12 Cote d'Ivoire 14.86 billion tonnes compare
  2. 13 Philippines 14.65 billion tonnes compare
  3. 14 Mexico 14.11 billion tonnes compare
  4. 16 Malaysia 13.95 billion tonnes compare
  5. 17 Argentina 13.94 billion tonnes compare
  6. 18 Ukraine 13.44 billion tonnes compare

See the full ranking of 197 places →

More climate change data for Australia

All data for Australia →

Frequently asked questions

What is cumulative co₂ emissions from land-use change in Australia?
Cumulative co₂ emissions from land-use change in Australia was 13.97 billion tonnes in 2024, according to Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest cumulative co₂ emissions from land-use change recorded in Australia?
The highest recorded value was 13.97 billion tonnes in 2024.
What is the lowest cumulative co₂ emissions from land-use change recorded in Australia?
The lowest recorded value was 8.67 million tonnes in 1850.
How does Australia rank for cumulative co₂ emissions from land-use change?
Australia ranks 15th out of 197 countries with data for 2024.
Is cumulative co₂ emissions from land-use change rising or falling in Australia?
Over the last ten years it is up 4.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Australia data come from?
The figures come from Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Cumulative CO₂ emissions from land-use change. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Cumulative CO₂ emissions from land-use change in Australia. Statizoid, drawing on Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 22 September 2026, from https://climate.statizoid.com/stat/cumulative-co2-land-use/australia/

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About this data

Indicator
Cumulative CO₂ emissions from land-use change
Unit
tonnes
Source
Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
197 places, 34,475 data points, 1850–2024
Last refreshed

Cumulative emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂) from land-use change since the first year of available data, measured in tonnes.