Food Packaging — Emissions in South Africa

South Africa: Food Packaging — Emissions was 4,499 kt in 2023. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2023)
4,499 kt
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
8th
of 120 countries
All-time high
6,499 kt
in 2010
All-time low
828.89 kt
in 1992
Years of data
34
1990–2023

Food Packaging — Emissions in South Africa, 1990–2023

02.0k4.0k6.0k1990200620231990: 1.1k kt1991: 946.8 kt1992: 828.9 kt1993: 905 kt1994: 1.0k kt1995: 1.2k kt1996: 1.0k kt1997: 979.8 kt1998: 1.3k kt1999: 1.2k kt2000: 1.2k kt2001: 1.1k kt2002: 1.2k kt2003: 1.2k kt2004: 1.3k kt2005: 3.3k kt2006: 3.2k kt2007: 3.1k kt2008: 3.4k kt2009: 4.0k kt2010: 6.5k kt2011: 3.3k kt2012: 3.3k kt2013: 3.8k kt2014: 4.1k kt2015: 5.0k kt2016: 4.3k kt2017: 4.0k kt2018: 4.7k kt2019: 4.6k kt2020: 5.0k kt2021: 4.4k kt2022: 4.5k kt2023: 4.5k kt

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

Analysis

South Africa recorded 4,499 kt for food packaging — emissions in 2023.

The figure is up 19.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, food packaging — emissions in South Africa peaked at 6,499 kt in 2010 and was at its lowest, 828.89 kt, in 1992.

South Africa ranks 8th of 120 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

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

Food Packaging — Emissions in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Food Packaging — Emissions (CO2) in South Africa, 1990 to 2023.
Year kt Change
1990 1,104 kt —
1991 946.8 kt -14.3%
1992 828.89 kt -12.5%
1993 904.96 kt +9.2%
1994 1,029 kt +13.7%
1995 1,177 kt +14.4%
1996 1,027 kt -12.7%
1997 979.77 kt -4.6%
1998 1,268 kt +29.4%
1999 1,195 kt -5.7%
2000 1,241 kt +3.8%
2001 1,133 kt -8.7%
2002 1,170 kt +3.3%
2003 1,206 kt +3.1%
2004 1,294 kt +7.3%
2005 3,254 kt +151.5%
2006 3,202 kt -1.6%
2007 3,128 kt -2.3%
2008 3,379 kt +8.0%
2009 4,027 kt +19.2%
2010 6,499 kt +61.4%
2011 3,302 kt -49.2%
2012 3,300 kt -0.1%
2013 3,751 kt +13.7%
2014 4,115 kt +9.7%
2015 4,974 kt +20.9%
2016 4,348 kt -12.6%
2017 3,972 kt -8.6%
2018 4,709 kt +18.6%
2019 4,628 kt -1.7%
2020 4,971 kt +7.4%
2021 4,442 kt -10.6%
2022 4,499 kt +1.3%
2023 4,499 kt +0.0%

South Africa compared with similar countries

  • South Africa's 4,499 kt is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 156.95 kt, 28.7× the median. (34 countries reporting)
  • South Africa's 4,499 kt is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 23.2 kt, 193.9× the median. (17 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Food Packaging — Emissions in South Africa 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
2005 +151.5% 1,294 kt 3,254 kt

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 1,046 kt 828.89 kt 1,268 kt 10
2000s 2,303 kt 1,133 kt 4,027 kt 10
2010s 4,360 kt 3,300 kt 6,499 kt 10
2020s 4,603 kt 4,442 kt 4,971 kt 4

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 5 Japan 7,223 kt compare
  2. 6 Germany 5,271 kt compare
  3. 6 Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) 396.22 kt compare
  4. 7 Brazil 5,251 kt compare
  5. 7 Iran (Islamic Republic of) 193.8 kt compare
  6. 9 United Republic of Tanzania 103.35 kt compare
  7. 9 Australia and New Zealand 4,281 kt compare
  8. 10 Australia 4,158 kt compare
  9. 10 Melanesia 69.16 kt compare
  10. 11 India 3,664 kt compare
  11. 11 Republic of Moldova 31.87 kt compare

See the full ranking of 168 places →

More climate change data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is food packaging — emissions in South Africa?
Food packaging — emissions in South Africa was 4,499 kt in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
What is the highest food packaging — emissions recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 6,499 kt in 2010.
What is the lowest food packaging — emissions recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 828.89 kt in 1992.
How does South Africa rank for food packaging — emissions?
South Africa ranks 8th out of 120 countries with data for 2023.
Is food packaging — emissions rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 19.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, published as part of Food Packaging — Emissions (CO2). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Food Packaging — Emissions in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Retrieved 27 September 2026, from https://climate.statizoid.com/stat/food-packaging-emissions-co2/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Food Packaging — Emissions (CO2)
Unit
kt
Source
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Licence
CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (FAO)
Coverage
168 places, 5,039 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.