Share of primary energy that is low-carbon vs. GDP per capita in South Africa
South Africa: Share of primary energy that is low-carbon vs. GDP per capita was 4.7% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Share of primary energy that is low-carbon vs. GDP per capita in South Africa, 1965–2025
Source: Energy Institute - Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Smil (2017); U.S. Energy Information Administration (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, share of primary energy that is low-carbon vs. gdp per capita in South Africa stood at 4.7%. That is the highest value across all 61 years on record.
That represents a change of up 17.9% on the previous year and up 47.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of primary energy that is low-carbon vs. gdp per capita in South Africa peaked at 4.7% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1969.
South Africa ranks 61st of 80 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of primary energy that is low-carbon vs. GDP per capita in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 0.0% | — |
| 1966 | 0.0% | -3.3% |
| 1967 | 0.0% | -30.6% |
| 1968 | 0.0% | -12.5% |
| 1969 | 0.0% | -15.0% |
| 1970 | 0.0% | +13.9% |
| 1971 | 0.0% | +316.0% |
| 1972 | 0.2% | +623.0% |
| 1973 | 0.2% | +9.8% |
| 1974 | 0.2% | +11.8% |
| 1975 | 0.2% | -7.2% |
| 1976 | 0.3% | +60.9% |
| 1977 | 0.3% | +1.2% |
| 1978 | 0.3% | -0.9% |
| 1979 | 0.2% | -42.1% |
| 1980 | 0.2% | -18.8% |
| 1981 | 0.2% | +43.3% |
| 1982 | 0.1% | -43.0% |
| 1983 | 0.1% | -42.3% |
| 1984 | 1.4% | +1813.3% |
| 1985 | 1.8% | +31.5% |
| 1986 | 3.0% | +66.3% |
| 1987 | 2.1% | -29.3% |
| 1988 | 3.4% | +56.6% |
| 1989 | 3.7% | +8.9% |
| 1990 | 2.6% | -29.5% |
| 1991 | 2.9% | +12.6% |
| 1992 | 2.8% | -3.4% |
| 1993 | 2.2% | -23.3% |
| 1994 | 2.8% | +32.1% |
| 1995 | 3.1% | +9.1% |
| 1996 | 3.3% | +5.0% |
| 1997 | 3.5% | +7.6% |
| 1998 | 3.8% | +8.3% |
| 1999 | 3.4% | -10.7% |
| 2000 | 3.5% | +4.3% |
| 2001 | 3.0% | -15.8% |
| 2002 | 3.5% | +16.6% |
| 2003 | 3.4% | -2.0% |
| 2004 | 3.4% | -0.8% |
| 2005 | 2.8% | -17.7% |
| 2006 | 2.5% | -10.9% |
| 2007 | 2.7% | +10.2% |
| 2008 | 2.9% | +6.4% |
| 2009 | 3.0% | +4.0% |
| 2010 | 3.0% | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 3.2% | +4.2% |
| 2012 | 2.9% | -7.0% |
| 2013 | 3.2% | +8.7% |
| 2014 | 3.4% | +5.4% |
| 2015 | 3.2% | -4.7% |
| 2016 | 3.9% | +20.4% |
| 2017 | 4.2% | +7.5% |
| 2018 | 3.3% | -20.5% |
| 2019 | 3.8% | +16.1% |
| 2020 | 3.9% | +0.6% |
| 2021 | 4.2% | +10.1% |
| 2022 | 4.4% | +2.6% |
| 2023 | 4.1% | -6.1% |
| 2024 | 4.0% | -1.9% |
| 2025 | 4.7% | +17.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 5 |
| 1970s | 0.2% | 0.0% | 0.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.6% | 0.1% | 3.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.0% | 2.2% | 3.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.1% | 2.5% | 3.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.4% | 2.9% | 4.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.2% | 3.9% | 4.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More climate change data for South Africa
- 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)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 13.45 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of primary energy that is low-carbon vs. gdp per capita in South Africa?
- Share of primary energy that is low-carbon vs. gdp per capita in South Africa was 4.7% in 2025, according to Energy Institute - Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Smil (2017); U.S. Energy Information Administration (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of primary energy that is low-carbon vs. gdp per capita recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 4.7% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of primary energy that is low-carbon vs. gdp per capita recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1969.
- How does South Africa rank for share of primary energy that is low-carbon vs. gdp per capita?
- South Africa ranks 61st out of 80 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of primary energy that is low-carbon vs. gdp per capita rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 47.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Energy Institute - Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Smil (2017); U.S. Energy Information Administration (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of primary energy that is low-carbon vs. GDP per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 61 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Measured as a percentage of total energy supply.