Energy — Emissions (CO2eq) in South Africa

South Africa: Energy — Emissions (CO2eq) was 469,910 kt in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
469,910 kt
Change on year
up 1.4%
World rank
14th
of 200 countries
All-time high
587,443 kt
in 2008
All-time low
120,964 kt
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023

Energy — Emissions (CO2eq) in South Africa, 1961–2023

100.0k200.0k300.0k400.0k500.0k600.0k196119922023

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

Analysis

South Africa recorded 469,910 kt for energy — emissions (co2eq) in 2023.

The figure is up 1.4% on the previous year and down 10.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, energy — emissions (co2eq) in South Africa peaked at 587,443 kt in 2008 and was at its lowest, 120,964 kt, in 1961.

That places South Africa 14th out of 200 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.

Energy — Emissions (CO2eq) in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Energy — Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5) in South Africa, 1961 to 2023.
Year kt Change
1961 120,964 kt
1962 125,339 kt +3.6%
1963 129,767 kt +3.5%
1964 140,503 kt +8.3%
1965 150,432 kt +7.1%
1966 151,356 kt +0.6%
1967 157,898 kt +4.3%
1968 162,561 kt +3.0%
1969 168,980 kt +3.9%
1970 175,659 kt +4.0%
1971 194,522 kt +10.7%
1972 197,450 kt +1.5%
1973 200,283 kt +1.4%
1974 205,050 kt +2.4%
1975 214,876 kt +4.8%
1976 224,139 kt +4.3%
1977 233,559 kt +4.2%
1978 237,941 kt +1.9%
1979 257,227 kt +8.1%
1980 274,182 kt +6.6%
1981 307,489 kt +12.1%
1982 345,206 kt +12.3%
1983 370,297 kt +7.3%
1984 400,758 kt +8.2%
1985 414,718 kt +3.5%
1986 423,982 kt +2.2%
1987 423,357 kt -0.1%
1988 442,509 kt +4.5%
1989 432,989 kt -2.2%
1990 408,730 kt -5.6%
1991 419,005 kt +2.5%
1992 390,866 kt -6.7%
1993 406,310 kt +4.0%
1994 425,182 kt +4.6%
1995 453,376 kt +6.6%
1996 455,440 kt +0.5%
1997 478,986 kt +5.2%
1998 470,554 kt -1.8%
1999 468,915 kt -0.3%
2000 470,747 kt +0.4%
2001 438,581 kt -6.8%
2002 424,496 kt -3.2%
2003 475,639 kt +12.0%
2004 524,585 kt +10.3%
2005 505,516 kt -3.6%
2006 536,255 kt +6.1%
2007 555,916 kt +3.7%
2008 587,443 kt +5.7%
2009 566,772 kt -3.5%
2010 532,595 kt -6.0%
2011 530,302 kt -0.4%
2012 524,778 kt -1.0%
2013 525,343 kt +0.1%
2014 538,236 kt +2.5%
2015 512,316 kt -4.8%
2016 521,402 kt +1.8%
2017 504,370 kt -3.3%
2018 499,476 kt -1.0%
2019 528,250 kt +5.8%
2020 492,286 kt -6.8%
2021 484,288 kt -1.6%
2022 463,219 kt -4.4%
2023 469,910 kt +1.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s 145,311 kt 120,964 kt 168,980 kt 9
1970s 214,071 kt 175,659 kt 257,227 kt 10
1980s 383,549 kt 274,182 kt 442,509 kt 10
1990s 437,736 kt 390,866 kt 478,986 kt 10
2000s 508,595 kt 424,496 kt 587,443 kt 10
2010s 521,707 kt 499,476 kt 538,236 kt 10
2020s 477,426 kt 463,219 kt 492,286 kt 4

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 11 Republic of Korea 584,224 kt compare
  2. 12 Democratic Republic of the Congo 25,585 kt compare
  3. 12 Germany 567,432 kt compare
  4. 13 Mexico 499,879 kt compare
  5. 15 Brazil 469,206 kt compare
  6. 16 Australia and New Zealand 449,665 kt compare
  7. 17 Australia 416,200 kt compare
  8. 17 Timor-Leste 913.7 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 energy — emissions (co2eq) in South Africa?
Energy — emissions (co2eq) in South Africa was 469,910 kt in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
What is the highest energy — emissions (co2eq) recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 587,443 kt in 2008.
What is the lowest energy — emissions (co2eq) recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 120,964 kt in 1961.
How does South Africa rank for energy — emissions (co2eq)?
South Africa ranks 14th out of 200 countries with data for 2023.
Is energy — emissions (co2eq) rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is down 10.6%. 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 Energy — Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Energy — Emissions (CO2eq) in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Retrieved 31 August 2026, from https://climate.statizoid.com/stat/energy-emissions-co2eq-ar5-fao-tier-1/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Energy — 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, 14,511 data points, 1961–2023
Last refreshed

The FAOSTAT domain on Emissions Totals summarizes the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions disseminated in the FAOSTAT Climate Change domains of emissions from agrifood 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). Emissions from other economic sectors as defined by the IPCC are also disseminated in the domain for completeness. Methodological details can be found at: https://files-faostat.fao.org/production/GT/GT_en.pdf