Greenhouse gas emissions - Regions — GHG emissions from road transport in South Africa

South Africa: Greenhouse gas emissions - Regions — GHG emissions from road transport was 46.15 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent in 2023. ▲ Rising

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

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

20.0M30.0M40.0M50.0M197019962023

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 road transport in South Africa is 46.15 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent, measured in 2023.

That represents a change of up 2.2% on the previous year and down 11.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, greenhouse gas emissions - regions — ghg emissions from road transport in South Africa peaked at 53.02 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent in 2017 and was at its lowest, 15.46 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent, in 1970.

That places South Africa 16th out of 47 countries with data for 2023, putting it 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 road transport in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Greenhouse gas emissions - Regions — GHG emissions from road transport in South Africa, 1970 to 2023.
Year Tonnes of CO2-equivalent Change
1970 15.46 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent
1971 15.46 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +0.0%
1972 16.99 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +9.9%
1973 19.23 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +13.1%
1974 18.96 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent -1.4%
1975 21.06 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +11.1%
1976 21.67 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +2.9%
1977 21.37 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent -1.4%
1978 22.71 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +6.3%
1979 19.52 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent -14.1%
1980 20.15 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +3.3%
1981 21.40 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +6.2%
1982 22.04 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +3.0%
1983 22.37 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +1.5%
1984 24.13 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +7.8%
1985 23.36 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent -3.2%
1986 23.29 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent -0.3%
1987 25.10 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +7.8%
1988 27.06 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +7.8%
1989 27.94 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +3.2%
1990 28.77 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +3.0%
1991 28.89 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +0.4%
1992 29.17 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +0.9%
1993 28.36 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent -2.8%
1994 29.62 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +4.4%
1995 33.29 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +12.4%
1996 32.61 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent -2.0%
1997 33.47 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +2.6%
1998 33.14 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent -1.0%
1999 33.50 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +1.1%
2000 33.38 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent -0.4%
2001 34.20 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +2.4%
2002 34.79 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +1.7%
2003 36.72 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +5.6%
2004 38.78 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +5.6%
2005 40.81 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +5.2%
2006 41.99 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +2.9%
2007 46.25 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +10.1%
2008 46.41 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +0.3%
2009 44.46 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent -4.2%
2010 45.82 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +3.1%
2011 47.66 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +4.0%
2012 47.89 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +0.5%
2013 52.36 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +9.4%
2014 50.11 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent -4.3%
2015 52.40 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +4.6%
2016 49.70 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent -5.2%
2017 53.02 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +6.7%
2018 51.93 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent -2.1%
2019 48.83 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent -6.0%
2020 42.12 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent -13.7%
2021 45.79 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +8.7%
2022 45.17 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent -1.4%
2023 46.15 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent +2.2%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 19.24 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent 15.46 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent 22.71 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent 10
1980s 23.68 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent 20.15 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent 27.94 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent 10
1990s 31.08 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent 28.36 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent 33.50 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent 10
2000s 39.78 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent 33.38 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent 46.41 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent 10
2010s 49.97 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent 45.82 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent 53.02 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent 10
2020s 44.81 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent 42.12 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent 46.15 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent 4

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 13 Australia 81.28 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent compare
  2. 14 Spain 81.06 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent compare
  3. 15 Poland 67.71 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent compare
  4. 17 Argentina 44.09 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent compare
  5. 18 Colombia 37.05 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent compare
  6. 19 Chile 29.46 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 road transport in South Africa?
Greenhouse gas emissions - regions — ghg emissions from road transport in South Africa was 46.15 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 road transport recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 53.02 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent in 2017.
What is the lowest greenhouse gas emissions - regions — ghg emissions from road transport recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 15.46 million Tonnes of CO2-equivalent in 1970.
How does South Africa rank for greenhouse gas emissions - regions — ghg emissions from road transport?
South Africa ranks 16th out of 47 countries with data for 2023.
Is greenhouse gas emissions - regions — ghg emissions from road transport rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is down 11.9%. 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 road transport. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Greenhouse gas emissions - Regions — GHG emissions from road transport in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Retrieved 12 September 2026, from https://climate.statizoid.com/stat/greenhouse-gas-emissions-regions-ghg-emissions-from-road-transport/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Greenhouse gas emissions - Regions — GHG emissions from road 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.