Waste — Emissions (CO2eq) in South America

South America: Waste — Emissions (CO2eq) was 201,318 kt in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
201,318 kt
Change on year
up 0.6%
Rank
11th
of 32 groups
All-time high
201,318 kt
in 2023
All-time low
34,574 kt
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023

Waste — Emissions (CO2eq) in South America, 1961–2023

50.0k100.0k150.0k200.0k196119922023

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in kt.

Analysis

The most recent figure for waste — emissions (co2eq) in South America is 201,318 kt, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.

That represents a change of up 0.6% on the previous year and up 15.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, waste — emissions (co2eq) in South America peaked at 201,318 kt in 2023 and was at its lowest, 34,574 kt, in 1961.

South America ranks 11th of 32 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.

Waste — Emissions (CO2eq) in South America, year by year

Annual values for Waste — Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5) in South America, 1961 to 2023.
Year kt Change
1961 34,574 kt
1962 35,705 kt +3.3%
1963 36,858 kt +3.2%
1964 38,059 kt +3.3%
1965 39,238 kt +3.1%
1966 40,485 kt +3.2%
1967 41,679 kt +2.9%
1968 42,894 kt +2.9%
1969 44,148 kt +2.9%
1970 45,966 kt +4.1%
1971 51,809 kt +12.7%
1972 54,188 kt +4.6%
1973 56,596 kt +4.4%
1974 59,115 kt +4.4%
1975 61,711 kt +4.4%
1976 64,451 kt +4.4%
1977 67,326 kt +4.5%
1978 70,845 kt +5.2%
1979 74,600 kt +5.3%
1980 78,618 kt +5.4%
1981 80,851 kt +2.8%
1982 84,912 kt +5.0%
1983 87,601 kt +3.2%
1984 91,175 kt +4.1%
1985 94,326 kt +3.5%
1986 96,591 kt +2.4%
1987 101,577 kt +5.2%
1988 104,379 kt +2.8%
1989 107,685 kt +3.2%
1990 109,624 kt +1.8%
1991 113,734 kt +3.7%
1992 118,019 kt +3.8%
1993 122,099 kt +3.5%
1994 126,668 kt +3.7%
1995 130,575 kt +3.1%
1996 134,323 kt +2.9%
1997 138,436 kt +3.1%
1998 140,970 kt +1.8%
1999 143,297 kt +1.7%
2000 144,291 kt +0.7%
2001 147,518 kt +2.2%
2002 151,643 kt +2.8%
2003 157,303 kt +3.7%
2004 163,296 kt +3.8%
2005 157,208 kt -3.7%
2006 163,469 kt +4.0%
2007 161,717 kt -1.1%
2008 158,716 kt -1.9%
2009 160,722 kt +1.3%
2010 164,040 kt +2.1%
2011 164,960 kt +0.6%
2012 168,036 kt +1.9%
2013 173,730 kt +3.4%
2014 177,379 kt +2.1%
2015 182,149 kt +2.7%
2016 185,246 kt +1.7%
2017 187,079 kt +1.0%
2018 192,130 kt +2.7%
2019 192,667 kt +0.3%
2020 194,358 kt +0.9%
2021 195,867 kt +0.8%
2022 200,046 kt +2.1%
2023 201,318 kt +0.6%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s 39,293 kt 34,574 kt 44,148 kt 9
1970s 60,661 kt 45,966 kt 74,600 kt 10
1980s 92,772 kt 78,618 kt 107,685 kt 10
1990s 127,774 kt 109,624 kt 143,297 kt 10
2000s 156,588 kt 144,291 kt 163,469 kt 10
2010s 178,742 kt 164,040 kt 192,667 kt 10
2020s 197,897 kt 194,358 kt 201,318 kt 4

Countries ranked near South America

  1. 8 Mexico 64,839 kt compare
  2. 9 Indonesia 51,953 kt compare
  3. 10 Nigeria 32,059 kt compare
  4. 11 Saudi Arabia 31,618 kt compare
  5. 12 Thailand 26,211 kt compare
  6. 13 Pakistan 25,443 kt compare
  7. 14 Colombia 22,914 kt compare

See the full ranking of 253 places →

More climate change data for South America

All data for South America →

Frequently asked questions

What is waste — emissions (co2eq) in South America?
Waste — emissions (co2eq) in South America was 201,318 kt in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
What is the highest waste — emissions (co2eq) recorded in South America?
The highest recorded value was 201,318 kt in 2023.
What is the lowest waste — emissions (co2eq) recorded in South America?
The lowest recorded value was 34,574 kt in 1961.
How does South America rank for waste — emissions (co2eq)?
South America ranks 11th out of 32 groups with data for 2023.
Is waste — emissions (co2eq) rising or falling in South America?
Over the last ten years it is up 15.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this South America data come from?
The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, published as part of Waste — Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Waste — Emissions (CO2eq) in South America. Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Retrieved 27 August 2026, from https://climate.statizoid.com/stat/waste-emissions-co2eq-ar5-fao-tier-1/south-america/

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About this data

Indicator
Waste — Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5)
Unit
kt
Source
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Licence
CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (FAO)
Coverage
253 places, 14,574 data points, 1961–2023
Last refreshed

The FAOSTAT domain on Emissions Totals summarizes the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions disseminated in the FAOSTAT Climate Change domains of emissions from agrifood systems. Data are computed following the Tier 1 methods of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Guidelines for National greenhouse gas (GHG) Inventories (IPCC, 1996; 1997; 2000; 2002; 2006; 2014). Emissions from other economic sectors as defined by the IPCC are also disseminated in the domain for completeness. Methodological details can be found at: https://files-faostat.fao.org/production/GT/GT_en.pdf