Methane emissions, per capita in South Africa
South Africa: Methane emissions, per capita was 1.24 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
1.24 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person
Change on year
down 3.4%
World rank
62nd
of 195 countries
All-time high
2.09 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person
in 1960
All-time low
1.24 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person
in 2024
Years of data
65
1960–2024
Methane emissions, per capita in South Africa, 1960–2024
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 1.24 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person for methane emissions, per capita in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 65 years on record.
The figure is down 3.4% on the previous year and down 22.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, methane emissions, per capita in South Africa peaked at 2.09 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person in 1960 and was at its lowest, 1.24 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person, in 2024.
That places South Africa 62nd out of 195 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 65 years of available data.
Methane emissions, per capita in South Africa, year by year
| Year | tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 2.09 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | — |
| 1961 | 2.05 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.8% |
| 1962 | 2.02 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.3% |
| 1963 | 1.99 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.4% |
| 1964 | 1.97 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.1% |
| 1965 | 1.97 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 1.85 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -6.3% |
| 1967 | 1.82 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.4% |
| 1968 | 1.82 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.1% |
| 1969 | 1.8 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.0% |
| 1970 | 1.78 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.3% |
| 1971 | 1.7 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -4.5% |
| 1972 | 1.65 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -2.8% |
| 1973 | 1.66 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.6% |
| 1974 | 1.66 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.0% |
| 1975 | 1.67 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.4% |
| 1976 | 1.68 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.5% |
| 1977 | 1.72 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +2.3% |
| 1978 | 1.74 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.2% |
| 1979 | 1.83 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +5.1% |
| 1980 | 1.82 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.5% |
| 1981 | 1.82 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.0% |
| 1982 | 1.84 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.5% |
| 1983 | 1.82 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.3% |
| 1984 | 1.84 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.1% |
| 1985 | 1.82 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.2% |
| 1986 | 1.78 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -2.2% |
| 1987 | 1.75 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.4% |
| 1988 | 1.73 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.3% |
| 1989 | 1.72 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.7% |
| 1990 | 1.71 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.5% |
| 1991 | 1.68 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.5% |
| 1992 | 1.62 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -3.4% |
| 1993 | 1.64 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.1% |
| 1994 | 1.62 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.4% |
| 1995 | 1.65 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.6% |
| 1996 | 1.65 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 1.71 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +4.0% |
| 1998 | 1.72 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.4% |
| 1999 | 1.69 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.5% |
| 2000 | 1.65 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -2.3% |
| 2001 | 1.63 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.4% |
| 2002 | 1.61 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.1% |
| 2003 | 1.65 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +2.3% |
| 2004 | 1.64 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 1.65 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 1.63 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.6% |
| 2007 | 1.64 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.9% |
| 2008 | 1.66 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.4% |
| 2009 | 1.63 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -2.2% |
| 2010 | 1.62 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.7% |
| 2011 | 1.59 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.4% |
| 2012 | 1.63 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +2.5% |
| 2013 | 1.6 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.8% |
| 2014 | 1.59 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.8% |
| 2015 | 1.54 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -3.3% |
| 2016 | 1.5 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -2.7% |
| 2017 | 1.51 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 1.47 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -2.8% |
| 2019 | 1.43 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -2.4% |
| 2020 | 1.38 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -3.8% |
| 2021 | 1.33 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -3.8% |
| 2022 | 1.3 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.9% |
| 2023 | 1.28 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.5% |
| 2024 | 1.24 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -3.4% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 1.24 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.07 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person, 1.2× the median. (57 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 1.24 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.8668 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person, 1.4× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.94 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 1.8 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 2.09 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.71 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 1.65 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 1.83 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.79 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 1.72 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 1.84 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.67 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 1.62 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 1.72 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.64 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 1.61 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 1.66 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.55 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 1.43 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 1.63 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.31 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 1.24 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 1.38 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 59 Somalia 1.33 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person compare
- 60 Turkey 1.31 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person compare
- 61 Azerbaijan 1.24 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person compare
- 63 Latvia 1.22 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person compare
- 64 Poland 1.22 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person compare
- 65 Belize 1.2 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person compare
More climate change data for South Africa
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 717.27 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 34,365 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 11,741 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 22,624 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 44.31 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 807.99 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 5,495 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 5,119 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 376.6 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 19.32 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is methane emissions, per capita in South Africa?
- Methane emissions, per capita in South Africa was 1.24 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person in 2024, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest methane emissions, per capita recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 2.09 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person in 1960.
- What is the lowest methane emissions, per capita recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.24 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person in 2024.
- How does South Africa rank for methane emissions, per capita?
- South Africa ranks 62nd out of 195 countries with data for 2024.
- Is methane emissions, per capita rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 22.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Methane emissions, per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 65 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Methane emissions divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Methane emissions ÷ Population, total
Computed from
- Methane emissions Our World in Data
- Population, total World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Methane emissions divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.