Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) in South Africa

South Africa: Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) was 40 Mt CO2e in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
40 Mt CO2e
Change on year
up 0.5%
World rank
14th
of 192 countries
All-time high
46.37 Mt CO2e
in 2014
All-time low
13.54 Mt CO2e
in 1972
Years of data
55
1970–2024

Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) in South Africa, 1970–2024

1020304050197019972024

Source: EDGAR (Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research) Community GHG Database, Joint Research Centre (JRC) - European Commission. Measured in Mt CO2e.

Analysis

In 2024, methane (ch4) emissions from fugitive emissions (energy) in South Africa stood at 40 Mt CO2e.

The figure is up 0.5% on the previous year and down 13.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, methane (ch4) emissions from fugitive emissions (energy) in South Africa peaked at 46.37 Mt CO2e in 2014 and was at its lowest, 13.54 Mt CO2e, in 1972.

That places South Africa 14th out of 192 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.

Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) (Mt CO2e) in South Africa, 1970 to 2024.
Year Mt CO2e Change
1970 13.9 Mt CO2e
1971 13.73 Mt CO2e -1.2%
1972 13.54 Mt CO2e -1.4%
1973 14.28 Mt CO2e +5.5%
1974 14.94 Mt CO2e +4.6%
1975 15.54 Mt CO2e +4.1%
1976 16.88 Mt CO2e +8.6%
1977 18.61 Mt CO2e +10.3%
1978 20.09 Mt CO2e +7.9%
1979 22.7 Mt CO2e +13.0%
1980 24.82 Mt CO2e +9.4%
1981 27.29 Mt CO2e +9.9%
1982 29.26 Mt CO2e +7.2%
1983 30.49 Mt CO2e +4.2%
1984 33.79 Mt CO2e +10.8%
1985 35.68 Mt CO2e +5.6%
1986 36.13 Mt CO2e +1.3%
1987 36.24 Mt CO2e +0.3%
1988 37.33 Mt CO2e +3.0%
1989 36.68 Mt CO2e -1.7%
1990 36.32 Mt CO2e -1.0%
1991 36.33 Mt CO2e +0.0%
1992 35.22 Mt CO2e -3.0%
1993 37.48 Mt CO2e +6.4%
1994 38.24 Mt CO2e +2.0%
1995 39.32 Mt CO2e +2.8%
1996 39.37 Mt CO2e +0.1%
1997 42.1 Mt CO2e +6.9%
1998 42.62 Mt CO2e +1.3%
1999 42.39 Mt CO2e -0.6%
2000 41.27 Mt CO2e -2.6%
2001 41.08 Mt CO2e -0.4%
2002 40.28 Mt CO2e -2.0%
2003 43.44 Mt CO2e +7.8%
2004 43.96 Mt CO2e +1.2%
2005 44.3 Mt CO2e +0.8%
2006 43.93 Mt CO2e -0.8%
2007 44.05 Mt CO2e +0.3%
2008 44.78 Mt CO2e +1.7%
2009 44.31 Mt CO2e -1.1%
2010 45.26 Mt CO2e +2.1%
2011 44.97 Mt CO2e -0.7%
2012 45.91 Mt CO2e +2.1%
2013 45.48 Mt CO2e -0.9%
2014 46.37 Mt CO2e +2.0%
2015 45.85 Mt CO2e -1.1%
2016 44.87 Mt CO2e -2.1%
2017 44.9 Mt CO2e +0.1%
2018 44.71 Mt CO2e -0.4%
2019 44.25 Mt CO2e -1.0%
2020 42.72 Mt CO2e -3.5%
2021 40.29 Mt CO2e -5.7%
2022 39.61 Mt CO2e -1.7%
2023 39.79 Mt CO2e +0.5%
2024 40 Mt CO2e +0.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 16.42 Mt CO2e 13.54 Mt CO2e 22.7 Mt CO2e 10
1980s 32.77 Mt CO2e 24.82 Mt CO2e 37.33 Mt CO2e 10
1990s 38.94 Mt CO2e 35.22 Mt CO2e 42.62 Mt CO2e 10
2000s 43.14 Mt CO2e 40.28 Mt CO2e 44.78 Mt CO2e 10
2010s 45.26 Mt CO2e 44.25 Mt CO2e 46.37 Mt CO2e 10
2020s 40.48 Mt CO2e 39.61 Mt CO2e 42.72 Mt CO2e 5

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 11 Mongolia 44.99 Mt CO2e compare
  2. 12 Australia 43.21 Mt CO2e compare
  3. 13 Ukraine 40.73 Mt CO2e compare
  4. 15 Algeria 37.18 Mt CO2e compare
  5. 16 Brazil 33.69 Mt CO2e compare
  6. 17 Kazakhstan 28.91 Mt CO2e compare

See the full ranking of 239 places →

More environment data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is methane (ch4) emissions from fugitive emissions (energy) in South Africa?
Methane (ch4) emissions from fugitive emissions (energy) in South Africa was 40 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 methane (ch4) emissions from fugitive emissions (energy) recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 46.37 Mt CO2e in 2014.
What is the lowest methane (ch4) emissions from fugitive emissions (energy) recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 13.54 Mt CO2e in 1972.
How does South Africa rank for methane (ch4) emissions from fugitive emissions (energy)?
South Africa ranks 14th out of 192 countries with data for 2024.
Is methane (ch4) emissions from fugitive emissions (energy) rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is down 13.7%. 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 Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) (Mt CO2e). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on EDGAR (Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research) Community GHG Database, Joint Research Centre (JRC) - European Commission. Retrieved 24 August 2026, from https://environment.statizoid.com/stat/methane-ch4-emissions-from-fugitive-emissions-energy-mt-co2e/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) (Mt CO2e)
Unit
Mt CO2e
Source
EDGAR (Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research) Community GHG Database, Joint Research Centre (JRC) - European Commission
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
239 places, 13,145 data points, 1970–2024
Last refreshed

A measure of annual emissions of methane (CH4), one of the six Kyoto greenhouse gases (GHG), from fugitive emissions (subsector of the energy sector) including IPCC 2006 codes 1.A.1.bc Petroleum Refining - Manufacture of Solid Fuels and Other Energy Industries, 1.B.1 Solid Fuels, 1.B.2 Oil and Natural Gas, 5.B. The measure is standardized to carbon dioxide equivalent values using the Global Warming Potential (GWP) factors of IPCC's 5th Assessment Report (AR5).