Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF in South Africa
South Africa: Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF was 569.81 Mt CO2e in 2024. ▲ Rising
Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF 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 total greenhouse gas emissions excluding lulucf in South Africa is 569.81 Mt CO2e, measured in 2024.
The figure is up 2.6% on the previous year and down 6.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total greenhouse gas emissions excluding lulucf in South Africa peaked at 610.89 Mt CO2e in 2014 and was at its lowest, 240.66 Mt CO2e, in 1971.
That places South Africa 17th out of 203 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.
Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Mt CO2e | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 241.15 Mt CO2e | — |
| 1971 | 240.66 Mt CO2e | -0.2% |
| 1972 | 247.96 Mt CO2e | +3.0% |
| 1973 | 267.04 Mt CO2e | +7.7% |
| 1974 | 276.12 Mt CO2e | +3.4% |
| 1975 | 294.32 Mt CO2e | +6.6% |
| 1976 | 310.34 Mt CO2e | +5.4% |
| 1977 | 312.58 Mt CO2e | +0.7% |
| 1978 | 292.18 Mt CO2e | -6.5% |
| 1979 | 302.03 Mt CO2e | +3.4% |
| 1980 | 317.69 Mt CO2e | +5.2% |
| 1981 | 334.22 Mt CO2e | +5.2% |
| 1982 | 343.36 Mt CO2e | +2.7% |
| 1983 | 346.73 Mt CO2e | +1.0% |
| 1984 | 367.79 Mt CO2e | +6.1% |
| 1985 | 373.27 Mt CO2e | +1.5% |
| 1986 | 371.33 Mt CO2e | -0.5% |
| 1987 | 388.4 Mt CO2e | +4.6% |
| 1988 | 394.13 Mt CO2e | +1.5% |
| 1989 | 392.92 Mt CO2e | -0.3% |
| 1990 | 407.09 Mt CO2e | +3.6% |
| 1991 | 399.48 Mt CO2e | -1.9% |
| 1992 | 393.47 Mt CO2e | -1.5% |
| 1993 | 397.69 Mt CO2e | +1.1% |
| 1994 | 404.46 Mt CO2e | +1.7% |
| 1995 | 423.26 Mt CO2e | +4.6% |
| 1996 | 437.46 Mt CO2e | +3.4% |
| 1997 | 456.82 Mt CO2e | +4.4% |
| 1998 | 464.13 Mt CO2e | +1.6% |
| 1999 | 446.84 Mt CO2e | -3.7% |
| 2000 | 449.68 Mt CO2e | +0.6% |
| 2001 | 461.09 Mt CO2e | +2.5% |
| 2002 | 475.91 Mt CO2e | +3.2% |
| 2003 | 502.81 Mt CO2e | +5.7% |
| 2004 | 537 Mt CO2e | +6.8% |
| 2005 | 549.4 Mt CO2e | +2.3% |
| 2006 | 553.56 Mt CO2e | +0.8% |
| 2007 | 575.6 Mt CO2e | +4.0% |
| 2008 | 604.94 Mt CO2e | +5.1% |
| 2009 | 573.05 Mt CO2e | -5.3% |
| 2010 | 581.51 Mt CO2e | +1.5% |
| 2011 | 561.32 Mt CO2e | -3.5% |
| 2012 | 582.71 Mt CO2e | +3.8% |
| 2013 | 597.18 Mt CO2e | +2.5% |
| 2014 | 610.89 Mt CO2e | +2.3% |
| 2015 | 584.95 Mt CO2e | -4.2% |
| 2016 | 582.2 Mt CO2e | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 599.07 Mt CO2e | +2.9% |
| 2018 | 600.39 Mt CO2e | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 604.7 Mt CO2e | +0.7% |
| 2020 | 577 Mt CO2e | -4.6% |
| 2021 | 575.43 Mt CO2e | -0.3% |
| 2022 | 556.08 Mt CO2e | -3.4% |
| 2023 | 555.45 Mt CO2e | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 569.81 Mt CO2e | +2.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 278.44 Mt CO2e | 240.66 Mt CO2e | 312.58 Mt CO2e | 10 |
| 1980s | 362.98 Mt CO2e | 317.69 Mt CO2e | 394.13 Mt CO2e | 10 |
| 1990s | 423.07 Mt CO2e | 393.47 Mt CO2e | 464.13 Mt CO2e | 10 |
| 2000s | 528.3 Mt CO2e | 449.68 Mt CO2e | 604.94 Mt CO2e | 10 |
| 2010s | 590.49 Mt CO2e | 561.32 Mt CO2e | 610.89 Mt CO2e | 10 |
| 2020s | 566.75 Mt CO2e | 555.45 Mt CO2e | 577 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 value, per unit of GDP 0 1000 USD per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Paper and paperboard — Import value, per capita 0.0126 1000 USD per person (2024)
- Graphic papers — Import quantity, annual growth rate 42.65 % change on previous year (2024)
- Graphic papers — Import quantity, per unit of GDP 0 t per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Graphic papers — Import quantity, per capita 0.0047 t per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total greenhouse gas emissions excluding lulucf in South Africa?
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding lulucf in South Africa was 569.81 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 total greenhouse gas emissions excluding lulucf recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 610.89 Mt CO2e in 2014.
- What is the lowest total greenhouse gas emissions excluding lulucf recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 240.66 Mt CO2e in 1971.
- How does South Africa rank for total greenhouse gas emissions excluding lulucf?
- South Africa ranks 17th out of 203 countries with data for 2024.
- Is total greenhouse gas emissions excluding lulucf rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.7%. 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 Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (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 the six greenhouse gases (GHG) covered by the Kyoto Protocol (carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and sulphurhexafluoride (SF6)) from the energy, industry, waste, and agriculture sectors, standardized to carbon dioxide equivalent values. This measure excludes GHG fluxes caused by Land Use Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF), as these fluxes have larger uncertainties. The measure is standardized to carbon dioxide equivalent values using the Global Warming Potential (GWP) factors of IPCC's 5th Assessment Report (AR5).