East Asia & Pacific · High income · 2023

Australia: large EDGAR inventory · 572 MtCO₂e

In 2023, Australia emitted 572 MtCO₂e (21.99 t per person, 0.34 t per $1K GDP) - energy led at 32% and carbon dioxide dominated the gas mix at 65%. EU EDGAR v8.0, excludes land use.

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Corpus placement

Australia's per-person emissions rank #3 of 51 in 2023, far ahead of its GDP-intensity rank of #36 / 51 — high per-capita output from a comparatively carbon-efficient economy.

#15 / 51
Absolute Mt rank
#3 / 51
Per-capita rank
#36 / 51
GDP intensity rank

According to EU EDGAR v8.0 totals, World Bank population, and GDP denominators at 2023. Excludes LULUCF.

D
Emissions Performance Score
40/100
Australia · 2023 EDGAR data

Based on per-capita emissions, GDP intensity, methane share, and the multi-year emissions trend, benchmarked against the 51-country EDGAR corpus, not a judgment of policy effort, development stage, or overall climate risk. See the benchmark table and methodology.

Per-capita emissions F
21.99 t/person
EDGAR latest-year total ÷ population, vs. the 51-country corpus spread
GDP intensity B-
0.34 t/$1K GDP
EDGAR latest-year total ÷ GDP, vs. the 51-country corpus spread
Methane share F
24%
Share of the gas mix that is CH4 (AR6 GWP100 ≈ 27.9× CO2, short-lived but potent)
Emissions trend C
+83%
Change from the first to the latest EDGAR-tracked year for this country

EDGAR inventory roll

Roll AUS · 2023 572 Mt · 21.99 t per person

Australia sits in the upper absolute-Mt tercile among 51 tracked EDGAR economies (572 Mt in 2023) - absolute, per-capita, and GDP-intensity ranks on one roll.

  • ABS 572 Mt
  • PC 21.99 t
  • INT 0.34
  • RANK-A #15 / 51
  • RANK-P #3 / 51
  • RANK-I #36 / 51
  • SECTOR 32% Energy
  • GAS 65% Carbon
  • PHOTO Turkey
  • BOOK 51 econ

Photo-finish absolute-Mt peer: Turkey (608 Mt · Δ 36 Mt vs Australia)

Absolute-Mt neighbourhood

2023 EDGAR totals · nearest inventories to Australia

1. Turkey6082. Australia5723. Pakistan5344. Vietnam5255. South Africa522

Year-to-year inventory change

What changed between 2022 and 2023

2022 → 2023
  • Australia's energy total fell from 192.9 MtCO₂e in 2022 to 185.4 MtCO₂e in 2023 in the EU EDGAR v8.0 (2024) extract, a change of −7.47 MtCO₂e (−3.9%).
  • Australia's methane total rose from 131.5 MtCO₂e in 2022 to 134.7 MtCO₂e in 2023 in the EU EDGAR v8.0 (2024) extract, a change of +3.15 MtCO₂e (+2.4%).
  • Australia's EDGAR greenhouse-gas total rose from 568.8 MtCO₂e in 2022 to 571.7 MtCO₂e in 2023 in the EU EDGAR v8.0 (2024) extract, a change of +2.83 MtCO₂e (+0.5%).

Arithmetic differences between two inventory years in one stored EU EDGAR v8.0 (2024) extract, not a second source release, a forecast, or a policy verdict.

Trends Inventory CSV

Australia's per-person emissions rank #3 of 51 in 2023, far ahead of its GDP-intensity rank of #36 / 51 — high per-capita output from a comparatively carbon-efficient economy. How we place countries.

Australia vs all tracked economies by EDGAR greenhouse-gas total

Where Australia's 2023 EDGAR MtCO₂e sits among every tracked economy with live rows (inventory mass, not per-capita responsibility)

572 Top 29% more MtCO₂e than 71% of 51 economies

Tracked economies, banded by EDGAR MtCO₂e (AR6 GWP100)

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more economies. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source EU EDGAR v8.0 · 2023

Australia 2023 emissions by IPCC sector

EU EDGAR v8.0 · MtCO₂e · AR6 GWP100

1. Energy1852. Agriculture1183. Transport984. Industry725. Fugitive emissions536. Buildings327. Waste13
0%100%32%
Energy share of 2023 total

Source: EU EDGAR v8.0 (Joint Research Centre) EDGAR GHG · 2023

Australia emissions trend (1970–2023, MtCO₂e)

Annual greenhouse-gas totals, EU EDGAR v8.0

200300400500600700 197019771984199119982005201220192023 572
Reported annual emissions for Australia, 1970 to 2023 (AR6 GWP100, excludes LULUCF).

Data from EU EDGAR v8.0 (2024 release)

Source: EU EDGAR (Joint Research Centre) As of 1970–2023

Australia 2023 greenhouse-gas inventory

EU EDGAR v8.0 · MtCO₂e · AR6 GWP100

1. Carbon dioxide373.62. Methane134.73. Nitrous oxide48.94. Fluorinated gases14.5

Per-person load versus carbon efficiency

Absolute inventory signature

Australia's absolute inventory is the standout: 572 MtCO₂e puts it in the upper Mt tercile among tracked EDGAR economies (≥524.6 Mt).

Australia's per-person rate (21.99 t, #3) in 2023 runs far ahead of its GDP-intensity rank (#36) — high consumption per person from an economy that is comparatively efficient per dollar of output.

Source: EU EDGAR v8.0 (Joint Research Centre) Country totals (AR6 GWP100, excl. LULUCF) Country figures for AUS exclude LULUCF; verify policy-critical totals against the Joint Research Centre EDGAR country table.

Other East Asia & Pacific economies in EDGAR

Methodology

Australia (AUS) is in the upper third of live EDGAR country mass (572 MtCO₂e in 2023). Rows are aggregated from EU EDGAR v8.0 by IPCC sector and gas for 2023, excluding LULUCF. See the methodology page for GWP100 factors and the full pipeline. Full methodology.

Source: EU EDGAR v8.0 (Joint Research Centre) 2024 Global bottom-up inventory, CC BY 4.0.

FAQ

How much CO₂-equivalent did Australia emit in 2023?

Australia's 2023 total is 572 MtCO₂e per EU EDGAR v8.0 (AR6 GWP100, excludes LULUCF).

How do Australia's absolute and per-capita ranks compare?

Australia ranks #15 of 51 by absolute total and #3 by per-capita emissions in 2023, with GDP intensity at #36.

Which sector dominates Australia's emissions?

Energy led at 32% of the 2023 national total (572 MtCO₂e).

Compiled from official public sources by the publisher.

Data vintage: EU EDGAR v8.0 (2024 release), 2023 data year. Country emissions summed from EDGAR records for the focal year; LULUCF excluded on ranked surfaces.