Forest fires — Emissions (CO2eq) in Australia and New Zealand

Australia and New Zealand: Forest fires — Emissions (CO2eq) was 981.82 kt in 2023. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2023)
981.82 kt
Change on year
up 137.5%
World rank
19th
of 219 countries
All-time high
19,874 kt
in 2019
All-time low
403.23 kt
in 2021
Years of data
34
1990–2023

Forest fires — Emissions (CO2eq) in Australia and New Zealand, 1990–2023

05.0k10.0k15.0k20.0k1990200620231990: 3.9k kt1991: 3.9k kt1992: 3.9k kt1993: 3.9k kt1994: 3.9k kt1995: 3.9k kt1996: 6.4k kt1997: 9.6k kt1998: 7.4k kt1999: 10.1k kt2000: 3.5k kt2001: 3.0k kt2002: 4.5k kt2003: 7.1k kt2004: 799.4 kt2005: 713.3 kt2006: 5.8k kt2007: 2.2k kt2008: 423.1 kt2009: 3.4k kt2010: 536 kt2011: 1.3k kt2012: 2.0k kt2013: 3.0k kt2014: 2.2k kt2015: 1.4k kt2016: 1.8k kt2017: 1.1k kt2018: 2.0k kt2019: 19.9k kt2020: 10.9k kt2021: 403.2 kt2022: 413.5 kt2023: 981.8 kt

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

Analysis

Australia and New Zealand recorded 981.82 kt for forest fires — emissions (co2eq) in 2023.

That represents a change of up 137.5% on the previous year and down 67.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, forest fires — emissions (co2eq) in Australia and New Zealand peaked at 19,874 kt in 2019 and was at its lowest, 403.23 kt, in 2021.

Australia and New Zealand ranks 19th of 219 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

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

Forest fires — Emissions (CO2eq) in Australia and New Zealand, year by year

Annual values for Forest fires — Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5) in Australia and New Zealand, 1990 to 2023.
Year kt Change
1990 3,915 kt
1991 3,915 kt +0.0%
1992 3,915 kt +0.0%
1993 3,915 kt +0.0%
1994 3,915 kt +0.0%
1995 3,915 kt +0.0%
1996 6,381 kt +63.0%
1997 9,573 kt +50.0%
1998 7,443 kt -22.2%
1999 10,070 kt +35.3%
2000 3,484 kt -65.4%
2001 3,013 kt -13.5%
2002 4,513 kt +49.8%
2003 7,134 kt +58.1%
2004 799.35 kt -88.8%
2005 713.32 kt -10.8%
2006 5,801 kt +713.3%
2007 2,186 kt -62.3%
2008 423.13 kt -80.6%
2009 3,396 kt +702.7%
2010 536.04 kt -84.2%
2011 1,267 kt +136.4%
2012 1,965 kt +55.0%
2013 2,997 kt +52.6%
2014 2,205 kt -26.4%
2015 1,385 kt -37.2%
2016 1,794 kt +29.5%
2017 1,141 kt -36.4%
2018 1,957 kt +71.6%
2019 19,874 kt +915.3%
2020 10,931 kt -45.0%
2021 403.23 kt -96.3%
2022 413.49 kt +2.5%
2023 981.82 kt +137.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 5,696 kt 3,915 kt 10,070 kt 10
2000s 3,146 kt 423.13 kt 7,134 kt 10
2010s 3,512 kt 536.04 kt 19,874 kt 10
2020s 3,182 kt 403.23 kt 10,931 kt 4

Countries ranked near Australia and New Zealand

  1. 16 Iran (Islamic Republic of) 1.43 kt compare
  2. 16 South Sudan 1,643 kt compare
  3. 17 Nepal 1,341 kt compare
  4. 17 Republic of Moldova 0.123 kt compare
  5. 18 Indonesia 1,248 kt compare
  6. 18 Micronesia (Federated States of) 0 kt
  7. 18 Wallis and Futuna Islands 0 kt
  8. 18 Micronesia 0 kt
  9. 18 Polynesia 0 kt compare
  10. 20 Australia 980 kt compare
  11. 21 Ethiopia 900.21 kt compare
  12. 22 Madagascar 727.78 kt compare

See the full ranking of 273 places →

More climate change data for Australia and New Zealand

All data for Australia and New Zealand →

Frequently asked questions

What is forest fires — emissions (co2eq) in Australia and New Zealand?
Forest fires — emissions (co2eq) in Australia and New Zealand was 981.82 kt in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
What is the highest forest fires — emissions (co2eq) recorded in Australia and New Zealand?
The highest recorded value was 19,874 kt in 2019.
What is the lowest forest fires — emissions (co2eq) recorded in Australia and New Zealand?
The lowest recorded value was 403.23 kt in 2021.
How does Australia and New Zealand rank for forest fires — emissions (co2eq)?
Australia and New Zealand ranks 19th out of 219 countries with data for 2023.
Is forest fires — emissions (co2eq) rising or falling in Australia and New Zealand?
Over the last ten years it is down 67.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Australia and New Zealand data come from?
The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, published as part of Forest fires — Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Forest fires — Emissions (CO2eq) in Australia and New Zealand. Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Retrieved 06 September 2026, from https://climate.statizoid.com/stat/forest-fires-emissions-co2eq-ar5-fao-tier-1/australia-and-new-zealand/

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About this data

Indicator
Forest fires — Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5)
Unit
kt
Source
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Licence
CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (FAO)
Coverage
273 places, 9,061 data points, 1990–2023
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