Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) in South Africa
South Africa: Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) was 232.55 Mt CO2e in 2024. ▲ Rising
Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) in South Africa, 1970–2024
Source: EDGAR (Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research) Community GHG Database, Joint Research Centre (JRC) - European Commission. Measured in Mt CO2e.
Analysis
The most recent figure for carbon dioxide (co2) emissions from power industry (energy) in South Africa is 232.55 Mt CO2e, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 6.4% on the previous year and down 7.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, carbon dioxide (co2) emissions from power industry (energy) in South Africa peaked at 253.88 Mt CO2e in 2019 and was at its lowest, 65.25 Mt CO2e, in 1970.
That places South Africa 9th out of 194 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 55 years of available data.
Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Mt CO2e | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 65.25 Mt CO2e | — |
| 1971 | 65.25 Mt CO2e | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 69.01 Mt CO2e | +5.8% |
| 1973 | 77.12 Mt CO2e | +11.7% |
| 1974 | 85.28 Mt CO2e | +10.6% |
| 1975 | 96.17 Mt CO2e | +12.8% |
| 1976 | 104.52 Mt CO2e | +8.7% |
| 1977 | 105.25 Mt CO2e | +0.7% |
| 1978 | 82.09 Mt CO2e | -22.0% |
| 1979 | 89.55 Mt CO2e | +9.1% |
| 1980 | 96.94 Mt CO2e | +8.3% |
| 1981 | 105.88 Mt CO2e | +9.2% |
| 1982 | 112.18 Mt CO2e | +6.0% |
| 1983 | 113.99 Mt CO2e | +1.6% |
| 1984 | 122.51 Mt CO2e | +7.5% |
| 1985 | 124.61 Mt CO2e | +1.7% |
| 1986 | 124.58 Mt CO2e | -0.0% |
| 1987 | 136.62 Mt CO2e | +9.7% |
| 1988 | 131.26 Mt CO2e | -3.9% |
| 1989 | 137.01 Mt CO2e | +4.4% |
| 1990 | 143.46 Mt CO2e | +4.7% |
| 1991 | 143 Mt CO2e | -0.3% |
| 1992 | 145.3 Mt CO2e | +1.6% |
| 1993 | 155.65 Mt CO2e | +7.1% |
| 1994 | 159.44 Mt CO2e | +2.4% |
| 1995 | 167.16 Mt CO2e | +4.8% |
| 1996 | 175.21 Mt CO2e | +4.8% |
| 1997 | 184.32 Mt CO2e | +5.2% |
| 1998 | 192.08 Mt CO2e | +4.2% |
| 1999 | 181.96 Mt CO2e | -5.3% |
| 2000 | 189.39 Mt CO2e | +4.1% |
| 2001 | 176.08 Mt CO2e | -7.0% |
| 2002 | 180.35 Mt CO2e | +2.4% |
| 2003 | 200.35 Mt CO2e | +11.1% |
| 2004 | 214.18 Mt CO2e | +6.9% |
| 2005 | 210.27 Mt CO2e | -1.8% |
| 2006 | 212.83 Mt CO2e | +1.2% |
| 2007 | 219.86 Mt CO2e | +3.3% |
| 2008 | 247.09 Mt CO2e | +12.4% |
| 2009 | 228.08 Mt CO2e | -7.7% |
| 2010 | 242.75 Mt CO2e | +6.4% |
| 2011 | 230.68 Mt CO2e | -5.0% |
| 2012 | 237.19 Mt CO2e | +2.8% |
| 2013 | 241.05 Mt CO2e | +1.6% |
| 2014 | 252.62 Mt CO2e | +4.8% |
| 2015 | 232.68 Mt CO2e | -7.9% |
| 2016 | 235.54 Mt CO2e | +1.2% |
| 2017 | 224.79 Mt CO2e | -4.6% |
| 2018 | 233.48 Mt CO2e | +3.9% |
| 2019 | 253.88 Mt CO2e | +8.7% |
| 2020 | 248.47 Mt CO2e | -2.1% |
| 2021 | 237.62 Mt CO2e | -4.4% |
| 2022 | 227.79 Mt CO2e | -4.1% |
| 2023 | 218.47 Mt CO2e | -4.1% |
| 2024 | 232.55 Mt CO2e | +6.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 83.95 Mt CO2e | 65.25 Mt CO2e | 105.25 Mt CO2e | 10 |
| 1980s | 120.56 Mt CO2e | 96.94 Mt CO2e | 137.01 Mt CO2e | 10 |
| 1990s | 164.76 Mt CO2e | 143 Mt CO2e | 192.08 Mt CO2e | 10 |
| 2000s | 207.85 Mt CO2e | 176.08 Mt CO2e | 247.09 Mt CO2e | 10 |
| 2010s | 238.47 Mt CO2e | 224.79 Mt CO2e | 253.88 Mt CO2e | 10 |
| 2020s | 232.98 Mt CO2e | 218.47 Mt CO2e | 248.47 Mt CO2e | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More environment data for South Africa
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 5.46 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 8.52 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.275 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.05 °C (2025)
- Paper and paperboard — Import quantity, annual growth rate 20.46 % change on previous year (2024)
- Paper and paperboard — Import quantity, per unit of GDP 0 t per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Paper and paperboard — Import quantity, per capita 0.012 t per person (2024)
- Paper and paperboard — Import value, annual growth rate 3.25 % change on previous year (2024)
- Paper and paperboard — Import value, per unit of GDP 0 1000 USD per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is carbon dioxide (co2) emissions from power industry (energy) in South Africa?
- Carbon dioxide (co2) emissions from power industry (energy) in South Africa was 232.55 Mt CO2e in 2024, according to EDGAR (Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research) Community GHG Database, Joint Research Centre (JRC) - European Commission.
- What is the highest carbon dioxide (co2) emissions from power industry (energy) recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 253.88 Mt CO2e in 2019.
- What is the lowest carbon dioxide (co2) emissions from power industry (energy) recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 65.25 Mt CO2e in 1970.
- How does South Africa rank for carbon dioxide (co2) emissions from power industry (energy)?
- South Africa ranks 9th out of 194 countries with data for 2024.
- Is carbon dioxide (co2) emissions from power industry (energy) rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from EDGAR (Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research) Community GHG Database, Joint Research Centre (JRC) - European Commission, published as part of Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) (Mt CO2e). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 55 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
A measure of annual emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), one of the six Kyoto greenhouse gases (GHG), from electricity and heat generation (subsector of the energy sector) including IPCC 2006 code 1.A.1.a. The measure is standardized to carbon dioxide equivalent values using the Global Warming Potential (GWP) factors of IPCC's 5th Assessment Report (AR5).