Per capita nitrous oxide emissions from agriculture in Australia
Australia: Per capita nitrous oxide emissions from agriculture was 3,376 kilograms per person in 2023. ▼ Falling
Per capita nitrous oxide emissions from agriculture in Australia, 1990–2023
Source: Climate Watch (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in kilograms per person.
Analysis
In 2023, per capita nitrous oxide emissions from agriculture in Australia stood at 3,376 kilograms per person.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 67.0% on the previous year and up 51.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, per capita nitrous oxide emissions from agriculture in Australia peaked at 4,748 kilograms per person in 2001 and was at its lowest, 1,626 kilograms per person, in 2020.
That places Australia 2nd out of 193 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 34 years of available data.
Per capita nitrous oxide emissions from agriculture in Australia, year by year
| Year | kilograms per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 3,802 kilograms per person | — |
| 1991 | 3,728 kilograms per person | -1.9% |
| 1992 | 3,592 kilograms per person | -3.7% |
| 1993 | 3,535 kilograms per person | -1.6% |
| 1994 | 3,540 kilograms per person | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 3,409 kilograms per person | -3.7% |
| 1996 | 3,160 kilograms per person | -7.3% |
| 1997 | 3,114 kilograms per person | -1.5% |
| 1998 | 3,257 kilograms per person | +4.6% |
| 1999 | 4,022 kilograms per person | +23.5% |
| 2000 | 4,350 kilograms per person | +8.2% |
| 2001 | 4,748 kilograms per person | +9.1% |
| 2002 | 4,367 kilograms per person | -8.0% |
| 2003 | 2,520 kilograms per person | -42.3% |
| 2004 | 3,513 kilograms per person | +39.4% |
| 2005 | 2,485 kilograms per person | -29.2% |
| 2006 | 3,263 kilograms per person | +31.3% |
| 2007 | 3,013 kilograms per person | -7.7% |
| 2008 | 2,286 kilograms per person | -24.1% |
| 2009 | 2,413 kilograms per person | +5.5% |
| 2010 | 1,910 kilograms per person | -20.9% |
| 2011 | 3,955 kilograms per person | +107.1% |
| 2012 | 3,898 kilograms per person | -1.5% |
| 2013 | 2,223 kilograms per person | -43.0% |
| 2014 | 2,662 kilograms per person | +19.7% |
| 2015 | 2,475 kilograms per person | -7.0% |
| 2016 | 1,907 kilograms per person | -22.9% |
| 2017 | 2,666 kilograms per person | +39.8% |
| 2018 | 2,556 kilograms per person | -4.1% |
| 2019 | 1,963 kilograms per person | -23.2% |
| 2020 | 1,626 kilograms per person | -17.2% |
| 2021 | 1,983 kilograms per person | +22.0% |
| 2022 | 2,022 kilograms per person | +2.0% |
| 2023 | 3,376 kilograms per person | +67.0% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 3,376 kilograms per person is above the median for high income countries, which is 234.74 kilograms per person, 14.4× the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Australia's 3,376 kilograms per person is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 171.85 kilograms per person, 19.6× the median. (30 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Per capita nitrous oxide emissions from agriculture in Australia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | +107.1% | 1,910 kilograms per person | 3,955 kilograms per person |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 3,516 kilograms per person | 3,114 kilograms per person | 4,022 kilograms per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 3,296 kilograms per person | 2,286 kilograms per person | 4,748 kilograms per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 2,621 kilograms per person | 1,907 kilograms per person | 3,955 kilograms per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 2,252 kilograms per person | 1,626 kilograms per person | 3,376 kilograms per person | 4 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More agriculture & rural data for Australia
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 13.97 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0227 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 1,476 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.5855 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.1228 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 2.3% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 2.3% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 1.7% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.5% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is per capita nitrous oxide emissions from agriculture in Australia?
- Per capita nitrous oxide emissions from agriculture in Australia was 3,376 kilograms per person in 2023, according to Climate Watch (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest per capita nitrous oxide emissions from agriculture recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 4,748 kilograms per person in 2001.
- What is the lowest per capita nitrous oxide emissions from agriculture recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,626 kilograms per person in 2020.
- How does Australia rank for per capita nitrous oxide emissions from agriculture?
- Australia ranks 2nd out of 193 countries with data for 2023.
- Is per capita nitrous oxide emissions from agriculture rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 51.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from Climate Watch (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Per capita nitrous oxide emissions from agriculture. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 34 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Emissions are measured in kilograms of carbon dioxide-equivalents per person.