Per capita GHG emissions vs. per capita CO₂ emissions in Australia
Australia: Per capita GHG emissions vs. per capita CO₂ emissions was 17.05 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
17.05 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person
Change on year
down 1.8%
World rank
10th
of 197 countries
All-time high
22.51 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person
in 2007
All-time low
1.45 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person
in 1858
Years of data
175
1850–2024
Per capita GHG emissions vs. per capita CO₂ emissions in Australia, 1850–2024
Source: Jones et al. (2025); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person.
Analysis
In 2024, per capita ghg emissions vs. per capita co₂ emissions in Australia stood at 17.05 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person.
The figure is down 1.8% on the previous year and down 14.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, per capita ghg emissions vs. per capita co₂ emissions in Australia peaked at 22.51 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person in 2007 and was at its lowest, 1.45 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person, in 1858.
That places Australia 10th out of 197 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.
Per capita GHG emissions vs. per capita CO₂ emissions in Australia, year by year
| Year | tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1850 | 1.48 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | — |
| 1851 | 1.47 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.2% |
| 1852 | 1.46 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.8% |
| 1853 | 1.49 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +2.2% |
| 1854 | 1.49 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.0% |
| 1855 | 1.49 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.5% |
| 1856 | 1.53 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +2.6% |
| 1857 | 1.5 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.6% |
| 1858 | 1.45 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -3.3% |
| 1859 | 1.53 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +5.2% |
| 1860 | 1.56 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +2.6% |
| 1861 | 1.53 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -2.1% |
| 1862 | 1.64 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +6.9% |
| 1863 | 1.58 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -3.3% |
| 1864 | 1.67 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +5.7% |
| 1865 | 1.73 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +3.4% |
| 1866 | 1.95 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +12.6% |
| 1867 | 1.92 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.4% |
| 1868 | 2.03 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +5.7% |
| 1869 | 1.96 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -3.5% |
| 1870 | 1.89 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -3.6% |
| 1871 | 1.9 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.5% |
| 1872 | 1.99 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +4.7% |
| 1873 | 2.15 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +8.0% |
| 1874 | 2.23 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +3.9% |
| 1875 | 2.21 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.0% |
| 1876 | 2.21 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.0% |
| 1877 | 2.31 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +4.6% |
| 1878 | 2.37 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +2.4% |
| 1879 | 2.4 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.4% |
| 1880 | 2.37 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.1% |
| 1881 | 2.5 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +5.2% |
| 1882 | 2.7 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +8.3% |
| 1883 | 2.97 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +9.9% |
| 1884 | 3.07 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +3.3% |
| 1885 | 3.16 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +2.8% |
| 1886 | 3.06 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -3.2% |
| 1887 | 3.06 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.1% |
| 1888 | 3.23 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +5.5% |
| 1889 | 3.36 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +4.0% |
| 1890 | 3.04 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -9.5% |
| 1891 | 3.48 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +14.5% |
| 1892 | 3.3 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -5.2% |
| 1893 | 3.02 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -8.3% |
| 1894 | 3.24 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +7.1% |
| 1895 | 3.28 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.2% |
| 1896 | 3.35 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +2.1% |
| 1897 | 3.54 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +5.9% |
| 1898 | 3.71 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +4.6% |
| 1899 | 3.71 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.0% |
| 1900 | 4.36 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +17.5% |
| 1901 | 4.72 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +8.2% |
| 1902 | 4.65 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.5% |
| 1903 | 4.53 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -2.6% |
| 1904 | 4.57 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.0% |
| 1905 | 4.68 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +2.2% |
| 1906 | 5.33 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +14.0% |
| 1907 | 5.6 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +5.1% |
| 1908 | 5.92 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +5.7% |
| 1909 | 5.18 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -12.4% |
| 1910 | 6.01 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +16.0% |
| 1911 | 6.43 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +7.1% |
| 1912 | 6.79 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +5.6% |
| 1913 | 7.11 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +4.7% |
| 1914 | 7.55 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +6.1% |
| 1915 | 6.71 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -11.1% |
| 1916 | 5.96 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -11.2% |
| 1917 | 6.23 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +4.5% |
| 1918 | 6.62 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +6.3% |
| 1919 | 6.21 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -6.2% |
| 1920 | 7.08 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +13.9% |
| 1921 | 6.36 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -10.1% |
| 1922 | 6.51 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +2.4% |
| 1923 | 6.56 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.8% |
| 1924 | 6.99 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +6.5% |
| 1925 | 7.17 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +2.6% |
| 1926 | 7.02 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -2.1% |
| 1927 | 7.23 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +2.9% |
| 1928 | 6.61 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -8.5% |
| 1929 | 6.06 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -8.3% |
| 1930 | 5.76 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -5.0% |
| 1931 | 5.08 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -11.8% |
| 1932 | 5.15 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.3% |
| 1933 | 5.42 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +5.4% |
| 1934 | 5.65 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +4.1% |
| 1935 | 6.12 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +8.3% |
| 1936 | 6.52 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +6.7% |
| 1937 | 6.88 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +5.4% |
| 1938 | 6.8 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.2% |
| 1939 | 7.51 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +10.5% |
| 1940 | 6.94 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -7.6% |
| 1941 | 7.66 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +10.3% |
| 1942 | 8.03 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +5.0% |
| 1943 | 7.79 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -3.1% |
| 1944 | 7.66 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.7% |
| 1945 | 7.27 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -5.1% |
| 1946 | 7.75 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +6.6% |
| 1947 | 8 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +3.3% |
| 1948 | 8.21 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +2.6% |
| 1949 | 8.22 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.1% |
| 1950 | 9.3 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +13.2% |
| 1951 | 9.8 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +5.4% |
| 1952 | 9.79 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.1% |
| 1953 | 9.72 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.7% |
| 1954 | 10.22 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +5.1% |
| 1955 | 10.49 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +2.7% |
| 1956 | 10.68 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.8% |
| 1957 | 10.5 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.6% |
| 1958 | 10.61 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.0% |
| 1959 | 11.05 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +4.2% |
| 1960 | 11.35 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +2.7% |
| 1961 | 11.15 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.8% |
| 1962 | 11.4 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +2.2% |
| 1963 | 11.77 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +3.3% |
| 1964 | 12.37 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +5.1% |
| 1965 | 13.18 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +6.6% |
| 1966 | 13.17 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.1% |
| 1967 | 13.65 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +3.7% |
| 1968 | 14.05 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +2.9% |
| 1969 | 14.51 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +3.3% |
| 1970 | 14.96 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +3.1% |
| 1971 | 14.73 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.6% |
| 1972 | 14.91 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.2% |
| 1973 | 16.01 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +7.4% |
| 1974 | 15.45 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -3.5% |
| 1975 | 15.49 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.3% |
| 1976 | 15.08 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -2.7% |
| 1977 | 15.93 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +5.6% |
| 1978 | 16.38 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +2.8% |
| 1979 | 16.4 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.1% |
| 1980 | 16.94 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +3.3% |
| 1981 | 17.58 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +3.8% |
| 1982 | 17.69 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.7% |
| 1983 | 16.98 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -4.0% |
| 1984 | 17.59 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +3.6% |
| 1985 | 17.58 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.0% |
| 1986 | 17.5 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.5% |
| 1987 | 18 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +2.8% |
| 1988 | 17.9 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.5% |
| 1989 | 18.72 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +4.5% |
| 1990 | 19.67 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +5.1% |
| 1991 | 19.58 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.5% |
| 1992 | 19.75 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.9% |
| 1993 | 19.8 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.2% |
| 1994 | 19.75 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.3% |
| 1995 | 20.33 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +2.9% |
| 1996 | 20.43 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 20.72 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.4% |
| 1998 | 21.36 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +3.1% |
| 1999 | 21.64 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.3% |
| 2000 | 21.7 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.3% |
| 2001 | 22.05 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.6% |
| 2002 | 22.09 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 22.17 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 22.47 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.3% |
| 2005 | 22.41 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.3% |
| 2006 | 22.43 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 22.51 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 22.34 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.7% |
| 2009 | 22.07 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.2% |
| 2010 | 21.78 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.3% |
| 2011 | 21.35 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -2.0% |
| 2012 | 21.1 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.2% |
| 2013 | 20.43 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -3.2% |
| 2014 | 19.92 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -2.5% |
| 2015 | 20.05 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 20.13 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 19.99 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.7% |
| 2018 | 19.83 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.8% |
| 2019 | 19.76 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.4% |
| 2020 | 18.66 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -5.6% |
| 2021 | 17.95 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -3.8% |
| 2022 | 17.47 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -2.7% |
| 2023 | 17.37 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.6% |
| 2024 | 17.05 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.8% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 17.05 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person is above the median for high income countries, which is 6.74 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person, 2.5× the median. (67 countries reporting)
- Australia's 17.05 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 3.61 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person, 4.7× the median. (31 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1850s | 1.49 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 1.45 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 1.53 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1860s | 1.76 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 1.53 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 2.03 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1870s | 2.17 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 1.89 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 2.4 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1880s | 2.95 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 2.37 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 3.36 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1890s | 3.37 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 3.02 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 3.71 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1900s | 4.95 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 4.36 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 5.92 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1910s | 6.56 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 5.96 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 7.55 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1920s | 6.76 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 6.06 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 7.23 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1930s | 6.09 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 5.08 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 7.51 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1940s | 7.75 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 6.94 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 8.22 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1950s | 10.22 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 9.3 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 11.05 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1960s | 12.66 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 11.15 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 14.51 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1970s | 15.53 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 14.73 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 16.4 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1980s | 17.65 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 16.94 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 18.72 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 20.3 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 19.58 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 21.64 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 22.22 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 21.7 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 22.51 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 20.43 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 19.76 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 21.78 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.7 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 17.05 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 18.66 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 5 |
Countries ranked near Australia
- 7 United Arab Emirates 23.56 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person compare
- 8 Oman 21.76 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person compare
- 9 Mongolia 19.4 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person compare
- 11 Palau 16.46 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person compare
- 12 United States 16.2 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person compare
- 13 Canada 15.91 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person compare
More climate change data for Australia
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 1.30 billion kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 118,578 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 34,162 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 84,416 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 128.91 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 3,015 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 12,473 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 10,966 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 1,507 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 41.38 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is per capita ghg emissions vs. per capita co₂ emissions in Australia?
- Per capita ghg emissions vs. per capita co₂ emissions in Australia was 17.05 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person in 2024, according to Jones et al. (2025); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest per capita ghg emissions vs. per capita co₂ emissions recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 22.51 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person in 2007.
- What is the lowest per capita ghg emissions vs. per capita co₂ emissions recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.45 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person in 1858.
- How does Australia rank for per capita ghg emissions vs. per capita co₂ emissions?
- Australia ranks 10th out of 197 countries with data for 2024.
- Is per capita ghg emissions vs. per capita co₂ emissions rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.4%. 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); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Per capita GHG emissions vs. per capita CO₂ 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
Greenhouse gas emissions are measured in tonnes per person of carbon dioxide-equivalents over a 100-year timescale.