Sub-Saharan Africa · Upper middle income · 2023

South Africa: mid-book EDGAR inventory · 1.37 t per $1K GDP

In 2023, South Africa emitted 522 MtCO₂e (8.71 t per person, 1.37 t per $1K GDP) - energy led at 47% and carbon dioxide dominated the gas mix at 76%. EU EDGAR v8.0, excludes land use.

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Corpus placement

South Africa ranks #4 / 51 by GDP intensity in 2023 but only #20 of 51 by per-capita emissions — a carbon-intensive economy that doesn't yet translate into a high per-person total.

#18 / 51
Absolute Mt rank
#20 / 51
Per-capita rank
#4 / 51
GDP intensity rank

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

F
Emissions Performance Score
36/100
South Africa · 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 D
8.71 t/person
EDGAR latest-year total ÷ population, vs. the 51-country corpus spread
GDP intensity F
1.37 t/$1K GDP
EDGAR latest-year total ÷ GDP, vs. the 51-country corpus spread
Methane share C
16%
Share of the gas mix that is CH4 (AR6 GWP100 ≈ 27.9× CO2, short-lived but potent)
Emissions trend C-
+117%
Change from the first to the latest EDGAR-tracked year for this country

EDGAR inventory roll

Roll ZAF · 2023 522 Mt · 8.71 t per person

South Africa sits mid-pack by absolute Mt among 51 tracked EDGAR economies (522 Mt in 2023) - absolute, per-capita, and GDP-intensity ranks on one roll.

  • ABS 522 Mt
  • PC 8.71 t
  • INT 1.37
  • RANK-A #18 / 51
  • RANK-P #20 / 51
  • RANK-I #4 / 51
  • SECTOR 47% Energy
  • GAS 76% Carbon
  • PHOTO Vietnam
  • BOOK 51 econ

Photo-finish absolute-Mt peer: Vietnam (525 Mt · Δ 2 Mt vs South Africa)

Absolute-Mt neighbourhood

2023 EDGAR totals · nearest inventories to South Africa

1. Australia5722. Pakistan5343. Vietnam5254. South Africa5225. Thailand447

Year-to-year inventory change

What changed between 2022 and 2023

2022 → 2023
  • South Africa's energy total fell from 256.4 MtCO₂e in 2022 to 244 MtCO₂e in 2023 in the EU EDGAR v8.0 (2024) extract, a change of −12.4 MtCO₂e (−4.9%).
  • South Africa's EDGAR greenhouse-gas total fell from 533.2 MtCO₂e in 2022 to 522.5 MtCO₂e in 2023 in the EU EDGAR v8.0 (2024) extract, a change of −10.7 MtCO₂e (−2.0%).

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

South Africa ranks #4 / 51 by GDP intensity in 2023 but only #20 of 51 by per-capita emissions — a carbon-intensive economy that doesn't yet translate into a high per-person total. How we place countries.

South Africa vs all tracked economies by EDGAR greenhouse-gas total

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

522 Top 35% more MtCO₂e than 65% 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

South Africa 2023 emissions by IPCC sector

EU EDGAR v8.0 · MtCO₂e · AR6 GWP100

1. Energy2442. Industry843. Fugitive emissions534. Transport505. Agriculture446. Buildings267. Waste22
0%100%47%
Energy share of 2023 total

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

South Africa emissions trend (1970–2023, MtCO₂e)

Annual greenhouse-gas totals, EU EDGAR v8.0

200300400500600700 197019771984199119982005201220192023 522
Reported annual emissions for South Africa, 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

South Africa 2023 greenhouse-gas inventory

EU EDGAR v8.0 · MtCO₂e · AR6 GWP100

1. Carbon dioxide397.42. Methane85.93. Nitrous oxide20.24. Fluorinated gases19

Per-person load versus carbon efficiency

GDP-intensity signature

GDP intensity is the standout for South Africa: 1.37 t per $1K GDP (upper tercile, ≥0.764) alongside 522 Mt absolute.

South Africa ranks #4 by GDP intensity in 2023 but only #20 by per-capita emissions (8.71 t) — a carbon-intensive economy whose output doesn't yet translate into a high per-person total.

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

Other Sub-Saharan Africa economies in EDGAR

Methodology

South Africa (ZAF) is in the middle third of live EDGAR country mass (522 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

Which sector dominates South Africa's emissions?

Energy led at 47% of the 2023 national total (522 MtCO₂e).

How much CO₂-equivalent did South Africa emit in 2023?

South Africa's 2023 total is 522 MtCO₂e per EU EDGAR v8.0 (AR6 GWP100, excludes LULUCF).

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

South Africa ranks #18 of 51 by absolute total and #20 by per-capita emissions in 2023, with GDP intensity at #4.

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.