Greenhouse gas emissions - Regions — GHG emissions from ground in South Africa

South Africa: Greenhouse gas emissions - Regions — GHG emissions from ground was 47.09 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
47.09 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent
Change on year
up 2.2%
World rank
16th
of 47 countries
All-time high
53.70 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent
in 2017
All-time low
24.87 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent
in 1979
Years of data
54
1970–2023

Greenhouse gas emissions - Regions — GHG emissions from ground in South Africa, 1970–2023

020.0M40.0M60.0M197019962023

Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Tonnes of CO2-equivalent.

Analysis

The most recent figure for greenhouse gas emissions - regions — ghg emissions from ground in South Africa is 47.09 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent, measured in 2023.

That represents a change of up 2.2% on the previous year and down 10.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, greenhouse gas emissions - regions — ghg emissions from ground in South Africa peaked at 53.70 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent in 2017 and was at its lowest, 24.87 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent, in 1979.

South Africa ranks 16th of 47 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 54 years of available data.

Greenhouse gas emissions - Regions — GHG emissions from ground in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Greenhouse gas emissions - Regions — GHG emissions from ground transport in South Africa, 1970 to 2023.
Year Tonnes of CO2-equivalent Change
1970 28.58 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent
1971 28.58 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +0.0%
1972 28.74 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +0.6%
1973 30.13 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +4.8%
1974 28.17 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent -6.5%
1975 31.07 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +10.3%
1976 29.20 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent -6.0%
1977 28.28 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent -3.1%
1978 28.78 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +1.7%
1979 24.87 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent -13.6%
1980 25.13 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +1.0%
1981 26.06 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +3.7%
1982 26.00 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent -0.2%
1983 25.71 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent -1.1%
1984 27.17 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +5.7%
1985 25.90 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent -4.7%
1986 25.62 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent -1.1%
1987 27.05 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +5.6%
1988 28.18 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +4.2%
1989 28.37 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +0.7%
1990 28.96 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +2.1%
1991 28.99 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +0.1%
1992 29.30 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +1.1%
1993 29.38 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +0.3%
1994 30.53 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +3.9%
1995 34.20 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +12.0%
1996 33.29 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent -2.7%
1997 34.09 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +2.4%
1998 33.86 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent -0.7%
1999 34.24 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +1.1%
2000 34.06 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent -0.5%
2001 34.83 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +2.3%
2002 35.51 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +2.0%
2003 37.41 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +5.3%
2004 39.38 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +5.3%
2005 41.04 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +4.2%
2006 42.23 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +2.9%
2007 46.52 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +10.2%
2008 46.56 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +0.1%
2009 44.57 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent -4.3%
2010 45.93 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +3.1%
2011 47.99 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +4.5%
2012 48.09 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +0.2%
2013 52.79 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +9.8%
2014 50.48 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent -4.4%
2015 52.89 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +4.8%
2016 50.15 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent -5.2%
2017 53.70 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +7.1%
2018 52.68 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent -1.9%
2019 49.66 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent -5.7%
2020 42.93 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent -13.5%
2021 46.65 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +8.7%
2022 46.09 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent -1.2%
2023 47.09 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +2.2%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 28.64 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent 24.87 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent 31.07 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent 10
1980s 26.52 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent 25.13 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent 28.37 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent 10
1990s 31.68 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent 28.96 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent 34.24 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent 10
2000s 40.21 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent 34.06 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent 46.56 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent 10
2010s 50.44 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent 45.93 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent 53.70 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent 10
2020s 45.69 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent 42.93 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent 47.09 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent 4

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 13 Australia 87.03 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent compare
  2. 14 Spain 81.59 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent compare
  3. 15 Poland 68.60 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent compare
  4. 17 Argentina 45.87 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent compare
  5. 18 Colombia 37.25 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent compare
  6. 19 Chile 29.64 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent compare

See the full ranking of 51 places →

More climate change data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is greenhouse gas emissions - regions — ghg emissions from ground in South Africa?
Greenhouse gas emissions - regions — ghg emissions from ground in South Africa was 47.09 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent in 2023, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
What is the highest greenhouse gas emissions - regions — ghg emissions from ground recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 53.70 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent in 2017.
What is the lowest greenhouse gas emissions - regions — ghg emissions from ground recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 24.87 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent in 1979.
How does South Africa rank for greenhouse gas emissions - regions — ghg emissions from ground?
South Africa ranks 16th out of 47 countries with data for 2023.
Is greenhouse gas emissions - regions — ghg emissions from ground rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is down 10.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Greenhouse gas emissions - Regions — GHG emissions from ground transport. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Greenhouse gas emissions - Regions — GHG emissions from ground in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Retrieved 11 September 2026, from https://climate.statizoid.com/stat/greenhouse-gas-emissions-regions-ghg-emissions-from-ground-transport/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Greenhouse gas emissions - Regions — GHG emissions from ground transport
Unit
Tonnes of CO2-equivalent
Source
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Licence
OECD Terms and Conditions (attribution required)
Coverage
51 places, 2,754 data points, 1970–2023
Last refreshed

This dataset provides indicators on greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) in large (TL2) and small (TL3) regions. Data definition and source GHG are estimated by sector of origin at the subnational level using the Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research (EDGAR) (Joint Research Centre). See the methodology. Definition of regions Regions are subnational units below national boundaries. OECD countries have two regional levels: large regions (territorial level 2 or TL2) and small regions (territorial level 3 or TL3). For more information, see the OECD Territorial grid (pdf) and the OECD Territorial Correspondence Table (xlsx). Cite this dataset OECD Regions, Cities and Local Areas database http://oe.cd/geostats. Further information OECD Local Data Portal OECD Regions and Cities at a Glance For questions and/or comments, please email RegionStat@oecd.org.