While policies and institutions increasingly advocate for Africa to transition from fossil fuels to clean energy for global decarbonization, official data reveals the continent’s current energy mix contributes minimally to CO2 emissions.
Data from the Statistical Review
According to the Statistical Review of World Energy 2024, published in June by the Energy Institute, Africa was responsible for only 3.8% of global CO2 emissions in 2023.
With 1,335.1 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted in 2023, the continent experienced a 0.7% decrease in emissions compared to 2022 (1,344.5 million tons). South Africa remains the largest emitter, accounting for 425 million tons, or 31.8% of the continent’s total emissions.
Major Emitting Countries
Other countries like Egypt (232.1 million tons), Algeria (144.7 million tons), and Morocco (69.1 million tons) also have relatively high emission levels. These four countries collectively represent 65.2% of the continent’s total energy-related emissions.
The report’s data also reveals that a region like West Africa only recorded 189.9 million tons of CO2 emissions, less than a single country like Egypt. This reflects a low level of energy consumption in this region and Africa as a whole.