Domestic Wastewater — Emissions (CO2eq) in South Africa

South Africa: Domestic Wastewater — Emissions (CO2eq) was 2,588 kt in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
2,588 kt
Change on year
up 1.3%
World rank
22nd
of 202 countries
All-time high
2,588 kt
in 2023
All-time low
1,642 kt
in 1990
Years of data
34
1990–2023

Domestic Wastewater — Emissions (CO2eq) in South Africa, 1990–2023

01.0k2.0k3.0k1990200620231990: 1.6k kt1991: 1.7k kt1992: 1.7k kt1993: 1.7k kt1994: 1.8k kt1995: 1.8k kt1996: 1.8k kt1997: 1.8k kt1998: 1.9k kt1999: 1.9k kt2000: 1.9k kt2001: 1.9k kt2002: 1.9k kt2003: 2.0k kt2004: 2.0k kt2005: 2.0k kt2006: 2.0k kt2007: 2.1k kt2008: 2.1k kt2009: 2.1k kt2010: 2.1k kt2011: 2.2k kt2012: 2.2k kt2013: 2.3k kt2014: 2.3k kt2015: 2.3k kt2016: 2.3k kt2017: 2.3k kt2018: 2.4k kt2019: 2.4k kt2020: 2.5k kt2021: 2.5k kt2022: 2.6k kt2023: 2.6k kt

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in kt.

Analysis

The most recent figure for domestic wastewater — emissions (co2eq) in South Africa is 2,588 kt, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 34 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.3% on the previous year and up 14.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, domestic wastewater — emissions (co2eq) in South Africa peaked at 2,588 kt in 2023 and was at its lowest, 1,642 kt, in 1990.

That places South Africa 22nd out of 202 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.

Domestic Wastewater — Emissions (CO2eq) in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Domestic Wastewater — Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5) in South Africa, 1990 to 2023.
Year kt Change
1990 1,642 kt
1991 1,676 kt +2.0%
1992 1,711 kt +2.1%
1993 1,749 kt +2.3%
1994 1,772 kt +1.3%
1995 1,792 kt +1.1%
1996 1,811 kt +1.0%
1997 1,836 kt +1.4%
1998 1,856 kt +1.1%
1999 1,879 kt +1.2%
2000 1,911 kt +1.7%
2001 1,926 kt +0.8%
2002 1,939 kt +0.7%
2003 1,962 kt +1.2%
2004 1,992 kt +1.5%
2005 2,016 kt +1.2%
2006 2,041 kt +1.2%
2007 2,068 kt +1.4%
2008 2,093 kt +1.2%
2009 2,114 kt +1.0%
2010 2,149 kt +1.6%
2011 2,181 kt +1.5%
2012 2,218 kt +1.7%
2013 2,259 kt +1.8%
2014 2,269 kt +0.4%
2015 2,309 kt +1.8%
2016 2,332 kt +1.0%
2017 2,344 kt +0.5%
2018 2,389 kt +1.9%
2019 2,429 kt +1.7%
2020 2,489 kt +2.4%
2021 2,524 kt +1.4%
2022 2,554 kt +1.2%
2023 2,588 kt +1.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 1,772 kt 1,642 kt 1,879 kt 10
2000s 2,006 kt 1,911 kt 2,114 kt 10
2010s 2,288 kt 2,149 kt 2,429 kt 10
2020s 2,539 kt 2,489 kt 2,588 kt 4

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 19 Italy 3,582 kt compare
  2. 20 Thailand 3,032 kt compare
  3. 21 Spain 2,891 kt compare
  4. 23 Canada 2,398 kt compare
  5. 24 Republic of Korea 2,398 kt compare
  6. 25 Myanmar 2,340 kt compare

See the full ranking of 252 places →

More climate change data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is domestic wastewater — emissions (co2eq) in South Africa?
Domestic wastewater — emissions (co2eq) in South Africa was 2,588 kt in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
What is the highest domestic wastewater — emissions (co2eq) recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 2,588 kt in 2023.
What is the lowest domestic wastewater — emissions (co2eq) recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 1,642 kt in 1990.
How does South Africa rank for domestic wastewater — emissions (co2eq)?
South Africa ranks 22nd out of 202 countries with data for 2023.
Is domestic wastewater — emissions (co2eq) rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 14.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, published as part of Domestic Wastewater — Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Domestic Wastewater — Emissions (CO2eq) in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Retrieved 27 August 2026, from https://climate.statizoid.com/stat/domestic-wastewater-emissions-co2eq-ar5/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Domestic Wastewater — Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5)
Unit
kt
Source
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Licence
CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (FAO)
Coverage
252 places, 8,353 data points, 1990–2023
Last refreshed

The FAOSTAT domain on Emissions from Pre- and post- agricultural production includes the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and related activity data, generated from pre- and post-agriculture production stages of the agri-food systems. Data are computed following the Tier 1 methods of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Guidelines for National greenhouse gas (GHG) Inventories (IPCC, 1996; 1997; 2000; 2002; 2006; 2014). The domain includes methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), carbon dioxide (CO2) and CO2 equivalent (CO2eq) emissions from the above activities as well as the aggregate fluorinated gases (F-gases) emissions. Estimates are available by country, with global coverage and are updated annually.The FAOSTAT domain disseminates information estimates of CH4, N2O, CO2 emissions, F-gases, their aggregates in CO2eq in units of kilotonnes (kt, or 10^6 kg), and the underlying activity data. CO2eq emissions are computed by using the IPCC Fifth Assessment report global warming potentials, AR5 (IPCC, 2014). Data are available for most countries and territories, for standard FAOSTAT regional aggregations, and for Annex I and non-Annex I country groups.