Methane emissions in Australia
Australia: Methane emissions was 135.64 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
135.64 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents
Change on year
down 4.0%
World rank
12th
of 199 countries
All-time high
197.30 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents
in 2001
All-time low
3.44 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents
in 1850
Years of data
175
1850–2024
Methane emissions in Australia, 1850–2024
Source: Jones et al. (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes of CO₂ equivalents.
Analysis
The most recent figure for methane emissions in Australia is 135.64 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.0% on the previous year and down 17.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, methane emissions in Australia peaked at 197.30 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents in 2001 and was at its lowest, 3.44 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents, in 1850.
That places Australia 12th out of 199 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1850s | 5.66 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 3.44 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 7.87 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 1860s | 10.39 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 8.35 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 12.41 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 1870s | 14.72 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 12.83 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 16.68 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 1880s | 20.39 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 17.28 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 23.59 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 1890s | 26.64 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 24.28 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 29.02 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 1900s | 33.47 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 30.60 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 36.16 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 1910s | 41.46 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 37.38 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 44.74 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 1920s | 49.80 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 46.44 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 52.44 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 1930s | 56.33 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 52.71 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 61.76 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 1940s | 69.84 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 61.90 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 76.96 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 1950s | 93.51 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 80.72 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 106.94 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 1960s | 123.72 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 110.25 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 139.24 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 1970s | 153.31 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 137.81 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 171.00 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 1980s | 152.26 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 140.36 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 168.79 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 1990s | 161.06 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 152.87 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 173.28 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 2000s | 167.06 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 147.34 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 197.30 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 2010s | 164.07 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 141.70 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 194.52 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 2020s | 138.46 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 135.22 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 141.25 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 5 |
Countries ranked near Australia
- 9 Iran 171.00 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents compare
- 10 Iraq 156.21 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents compare
- 11 Mexico 151.80 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents compare
- 13 Ethiopia 119.02 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents compare
- 14 Saudi Arabia 117.01 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents compare
- 15 Canada 115.34 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents compare
More climate change data for Australia
- Share of global CO₂ emissions and population 0.4% (2100)
- Population growth 1.5% (2025)
- Population, total 27.61 million (2025)
- Urban population growth 1.7% (2025)
- Urban population 24.22 million (2025)
- Urban population 87.7% (2025)
- CO₂ emissions per capita vs. GDP per capita 14.48 tonnes per person (2024)
- Cumulative CO₂ emissions 20.04 billion tonnes (2024)
- CO₂ emissions per capita 14.48 tonnes per person (2024)
- CO₂ emissions per capita vs. share of electricity generation from renewables 14.48 tonnes per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is methane emissions in Australia?
- Methane emissions in Australia was 135.64 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents in 2024, according to Jones et al. (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest methane emissions recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 197.30 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents in 2001.
- What is the lowest methane emissions recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.44 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents in 1850.
- How does Australia rank for methane emissions?
- Australia ranks 12th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is methane emissions rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from Jones et al. (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Methane emissions. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 175 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Measured in tonnes of carbon dioxide-equivalents over a 100-year timescale.