Coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions in Australia
Australia: Coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions was 1.05 million tonnes in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2022)
1.05 million tonnes
Change on year
down 2.5%
World rank
16th
of 220 countries
All-time high
1.80 million tonnes
in 1993
All-time low
0 tonnes
in 1750
Years of data
273
1750–2022
Coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions in Australia, 1750–2022
Source: Hoesly et al. (2024) – Community Emissions Data System (CEDS) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
Australia recorded 1.05 million tonnes for coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions in 2022.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.5% on the previous year and down 20.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions in Australia peaked at 1.80 million tonnes in 1993 and was at its lowest, 0 tonnes, in 1750.
Australia ranks 16th of 220 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions in Australia, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1750 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1751 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1752 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1753 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1754 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1755 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1756 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1757 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1758 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1759 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1760 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1761 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1762 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1763 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1764 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1765 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1766 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1767 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1768 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1769 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1770 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1771 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1772 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1773 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1774 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1775 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1776 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1777 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1778 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1779 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1780 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 1781 | 0.0425 tonnes | — |
| 1782 | 0.0849 tonnes | +99.9% |
| 1783 | 0.1273 tonnes | +50.0% |
| 1784 | 0.1697 tonnes | +33.3% |
| 1785 | 0.212 tonnes | +25.0% |
| 1786 | 0.2543 tonnes | +20.0% |
| 1787 | 0.2966 tonnes | +16.6% |
| 1788 | 0.3389 tonnes | +14.2% |
| 1789 | 0.3811 tonnes | +12.5% |
| 1790 | 0.4234 tonnes | +11.1% |
| 1791 | 0.5207 tonnes | +23.0% |
| 1792 | 0.6179 tonnes | +18.7% |
| 1793 | 0.7151 tonnes | +15.7% |
| 1794 | 0.8121 tonnes | +13.6% |
| 1795 | 0.9092 tonnes | +11.9% |
| 1796 | 1.01 tonnes | +10.7% |
| 1797 | 1.1 tonnes | +9.6% |
| 1798 | 1.2 tonnes | +8.8% |
| 1799 | 1.3 tonnes | +8.1% |
| 1800 | 1.39 tonnes | +7.5% |
| 1801 | 1.72 tonnes | +23.2% |
| 1802 | 2.04 tonnes | +18.8% |
| 1803 | 2.36 tonnes | +15.8% |
| 1804 | 2.68 tonnes | +13.6% |
| 1805 | 3 tonnes | +12.0% |
| 1806 | 3.32 tonnes | +10.7% |
| 1807 | 3.65 tonnes | +9.7% |
| 1808 | 3.97 tonnes | +8.8% |
| 1809 | 4.29 tonnes | +8.1% |
| 1810 | 4.61 tonnes | +7.5% |
| 1811 | 5.74 tonnes | +24.6% |
| 1812 | 6.88 tonnes | +19.7% |
| 1813 | 8.01 tonnes | +16.5% |
| 1814 | 9.14 tonnes | +14.1% |
| 1815 | 10.27 tonnes | +12.4% |
| 1816 | 11.4 tonnes | +11.0% |
| 1817 | 12.53 tonnes | +9.9% |
| 1818 | 13.65 tonnes | +9.0% |
| 1819 | 14.78 tonnes | +8.2% |
| 1820 | 15.9 tonnes | +7.6% |
| 1821 | 19.55 tonnes | +23.0% |
| 1822 | 23.2 tonnes | +18.7% |
| 1823 | 26.84 tonnes | +15.7% |
| 1824 | 30.48 tonnes | +13.6% |
| 1825 | 34.12 tonnes | +11.9% |
| 1826 | 37.75 tonnes | +10.6% |
| 1827 | 41.37 tonnes | +9.6% |
| 1828 | 44.99 tonnes | +8.8% |
| 1829 | 48.61 tonnes | +8.0% |
| 1830 | 52.22 tonnes | +7.4% |
| 1831 | 59.88 tonnes | +14.7% |
| 1832 | 67.53 tonnes | +12.8% |
| 1833 | 75.16 tonnes | +11.3% |
| 1834 | 82.79 tonnes | +10.1% |
| 1835 | 90.4 tonnes | +9.2% |
| 1836 | 98 tonnes | +8.4% |
| 1837 | 105.6 tonnes | +7.7% |
| 1838 | 113.18 tonnes | +7.2% |
| 1839 | 120.75 tonnes | +6.7% |
| 1840 | 128.31 tonnes | +6.3% |
| 1841 | 151.84 tonnes | +18.3% |
| 1842 | 175.34 tonnes | +15.5% |
| 1843 | 198.8 tonnes | +13.4% |
| 1844 | 222.21 tonnes | +11.8% |
| 1845 | 245.59 tonnes | +10.5% |
| 1846 | 7,719 tonnes | +3043.1% |
| 1847 | 7,743 tonnes | +0.3% |
| 1848 | 15,186 tonnes | +96.1% |
| 1849 | 11,514 tonnes | -24.2% |
| 1850 | 6,324 tonnes | -45.1% |
| 1851 | 7,478 tonnes | +18.2% |
| 1852 | 8,623 tonnes | +15.3% |
| 1853 | 9,776 tonnes | +13.4% |
| 1854 | 10,921 tonnes | +11.7% |
| 1855 | 12,074 tonnes | +10.6% |
| 1856 | 13,250 tonnes | +9.7% |
| 1857 | 14,434 tonnes | +8.9% |
| 1858 | 15,610 tonnes | +8.1% |
| 1859 | 16,794 tonnes | +7.6% |
| 1860 | 17,962 tonnes | +7.0% |
| 1861 | 19,725 tonnes | +9.8% |
| 1862 | 19,338 tonnes | -2.0% |
| 1863 | 20,054 tonnes | +3.7% |
| 1864 | 19,784 tonnes | -1.3% |
| 1865 | 21,121 tonnes | +6.8% |
| 1866 | 23,144 tonnes | +9.6% |
| 1867 | 24,740 tonnes | +6.9% |
| 1868 | 24,303 tonnes | -1.8% |
| 1869 | 24,274 tonnes | -0.1% |
| 1870 | 24,522 tonnes | +1.0% |
| 1871 | 25,817 tonnes | +5.3% |
| 1872 | 26,672 tonnes | +3.3% |
| 1873 | 28,350 tonnes | +6.3% |
| 1874 | 29,256 tonnes | +3.2% |
| 1875 | 29,678 tonnes | +1.4% |
| 1876 | 31,026 tonnes | +4.5% |
| 1877 | 32,551 tonnes | +4.9% |
| 1878 | 32,759 tonnes | +0.6% |
| 1879 | 36,270 tonnes | +10.7% |
| 1880 | 41,256 tonnes | +13.7% |
| 1881 | 37,866 tonnes | -8.2% |
| 1882 | 42,513 tonnes | +12.3% |
| 1883 | 47,859 tonnes | +12.6% |
| 1884 | 51,623 tonnes | +7.9% |
| 1885 | 56,218 tonnes | +8.9% |
| 1886 | 59,395 tonnes | +5.7% |
| 1887 | 63,842 tonnes | +7.5% |
| 1888 | 69,435 tonnes | +8.8% |
| 1889 | 71,670 tonnes | +3.2% |
| 1890 | 74,269 tonnes | +3.6% |
| 1891 | 83,834 tonnes | +12.9% |
| 1892 | 89,409 tonnes | +6.7% |
| 1893 | 94,388 tonnes | +5.6% |
| 1894 | 102,452 tonnes | +8.5% |
| 1895 | 109,833 tonnes | +7.2% |
| 1896 | 115,312 tonnes | +5.0% |
| 1897 | 123,376 tonnes | +7.0% |
| 1898 | 132,302 tonnes | +7.2% |
| 1899 | 157,186 tonnes | +18.8% |
| 1900 | 184,760 tonnes | +17.5% |
| 1901 | 200,190 tonnes | +8.4% |
| 1902 | 205,434 tonnes | +2.6% |
| 1903 | 224,248 tonnes | +9.2% |
| 1904 | 242,005 tonnes | +7.9% |
| 1905 | 240,808 tonnes | -0.5% |
| 1906 | 245,900 tonnes | +2.1% |
| 1907 | 257,653 tonnes | +4.8% |
| 1908 | 287,188 tonnes | +11.5% |
| 1909 | 242,857 tonnes | -15.4% |
| 1910 | 286,067 tonnes | +17.8% |
| 1911 | 291,877 tonnes | +2.0% |
| 1912 | 303,787 tonnes | +4.1% |
| 1913 | 305,976 tonnes | +0.7% |
| 1914 | 306,069 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1915 | 288,375 tonnes | -5.8% |
| 1916 | 298,474 tonnes | +3.5% |
| 1917 | 312,200 tonnes | +4.6% |
| 1918 | 340,760 tonnes | +9.1% |
| 1919 | 260,157 tonnes | -23.7% |
| 1920 | 214,405 tonnes | -17.6% |
| 1921 | 199,195 tonnes | -7.1% |
| 1922 | 222,529 tonnes | +11.7% |
| 1923 | 242,211 tonnes | +8.8% |
| 1924 | 270,794 tonnes | +11.8% |
| 1925 | 293,787 tonnes | +8.5% |
| 1926 | 308,827 tonnes | +5.1% |
| 1927 | 334,377 tonnes | +8.3% |
| 1928 | 350,694 tonnes | +4.9% |
| 1929 | 353,628 tonnes | +0.8% |
| 1930 | 344,271 tonnes | -2.6% |
| 1931 | 310,183 tonnes | -9.9% |
| 1932 | 332,461 tonnes | +7.2% |
| 1933 | 344,747 tonnes | +3.7% |
| 1934 | 341,886 tonnes | -0.8% |
| 1935 | 375,615 tonnes | +9.9% |
| 1936 | 393,528 tonnes | +4.8% |
| 1937 | 439,555 tonnes | +11.7% |
| 1938 | 428,730 tonnes | -2.5% |
| 1939 | 489,451 tonnes | +14.2% |
| 1940 | 487,800 tonnes | -0.3% |
| 1941 | 491,529 tonnes | +0.8% |
| 1942 | 483,118 tonnes | -1.7% |
| 1943 | 447,978 tonnes | -7.3% |
| 1944 | 424,960 tonnes | -5.1% |
| 1945 | 457,274 tonnes | +7.6% |
| 1946 | 387,827 tonnes | -15.2% |
| 1947 | 407,388 tonnes | +5.0% |
| 1948 | 400,756 tonnes | -1.6% |
| 1949 | 384,010 tonnes | -4.2% |
| 1950 | 491,983 tonnes | +28.1% |
| 1951 | 511,165 tonnes | +3.9% |
| 1952 | 562,922 tonnes | +10.1% |
| 1953 | 590,030 tonnes | +4.8% |
| 1954 | 680,980 tonnes | +15.4% |
| 1955 | 679,248 tonnes | -0.3% |
| 1956 | 733,196 tonnes | +7.9% |
| 1957 | 746,086 tonnes | +1.8% |
| 1958 | 803,199 tonnes | +7.7% |
| 1959 | 826,389 tonnes | +2.9% |
| 1960 | 938,861 tonnes | +13.6% |
| 1961 | 938,299 tonnes | -0.1% |
| 1962 | 913,804 tonnes | -2.6% |
| 1963 | 1.02 million tonnes | +11.3% |
| 1964 | 977,112 tonnes | -3.9% |
| 1965 | 959,625 tonnes | -1.8% |
| 1966 | 1.03 million tonnes | +7.1% |
| 1967 | 1.11 million tonnes | +8.4% |
| 1968 | 1.33 million tonnes | +19.6% |
| 1969 | 1.46 million tonnes | +9.9% |
| 1970 | 1.50 million tonnes | +2.1% |
| 1971 | 1.56 million tonnes | +4.5% |
| 1972 | 1.34 million tonnes | -14.3% |
| 1973 | 1.43 million tonnes | +6.5% |
| 1974 | 1.37 million tonnes | -4.0% |
| 1975 | 1.45 million tonnes | +6.1% |
| 1976 | 1.44 million tonnes | -0.7% |
| 1977 | 1.52 million tonnes | +5.3% |
| 1978 | 1.56 million tonnes | +2.6% |
| 1979 | 1.60 million tonnes | +2.8% |
| 1980 | 1.58 million tonnes | -1.2% |
| 1981 | 1.54 million tonnes | -2.9% |
| 1982 | 1.56 million tonnes | +1.7% |
| 1983 | 1.48 million tonnes | -5.1% |
| 1984 | 1.50 million tonnes | +1.1% |
| 1985 | 1.50 million tonnes | -0.1% |
| 1986 | 1.48 million tonnes | -0.8% |
| 1987 | 1.54 million tonnes | +3.8% |
| 1988 | 1.57 million tonnes | +1.5% |
| 1989 | 1.66 million tonnes | +6.0% |
| 1990 | 1.64 million tonnes | -1.3% |
| 1991 | 1.63 million tonnes | -0.7% |
| 1992 | 1.79 million tonnes | +10.2% |
| 1993 | 1.80 million tonnes | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 1.77 million tonnes | -1.9% |
| 1995 | 1.61 million tonnes | -9.0% |
| 1996 | 1.51 million tonnes | -6.2% |
| 1997 | 1.28 million tonnes | -14.8% |
| 1998 | 1.30 million tonnes | +1.1% |
| 1999 | 1.43 million tonnes | +10.1% |
| 2000 | 1.55 million tonnes | +8.8% |
| 2001 | 1.42 million tonnes | -8.6% |
| 2002 | 1.40 million tonnes | -1.7% |
| 2003 | 1.36 million tonnes | -2.7% |
| 2004 | 1.38 million tonnes | +1.6% |
| 2005 | 1.38 million tonnes | -0.5% |
| 2006 | 1.40 million tonnes | +1.9% |
| 2007 | 1.36 million tonnes | -3.1% |
| 2008 | 1.45 million tonnes | +6.7% |
| 2009 | 1.41 million tonnes | -2.9% |
| 2010 | 1.28 million tonnes | -9.3% |
| 2011 | 1.32 million tonnes | +3.2% |
| 2012 | 1.31 million tonnes | -0.6% |
| 2013 | 1.30 million tonnes | -0.4% |
| 2014 | 1.34 million tonnes | +3.0% |
| 2015 | 1.23 million tonnes | -8.5% |
| 2016 | 1.09 million tonnes | -11.1% |
| 2017 | 1.02 million tonnes | -7.0% |
| 2018 | 1.07 million tonnes | +5.5% |
| 2019 | 1.13 million tonnes | +5.3% |
| 2020 | 948,680 tonnes | -16.0% |
| 2021 | 1.07 million tonnes | +13.1% |
| 2022 | 1.05 million tonnes | -2.5% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 1.05 million tonnes is above the median for high income countries, which is 26,427 tonnes, 39.6× the median. (78 countries reporting)
- Australia's 1.05 million tonnes is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 63,332 tonnes, 16.5× the median. (34 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1846 | +3043.1% | 245.59 tonnes | 7,719 tonnes |
| 1782 | +99.9% | 0.0425 tonnes | 0.0849 tonnes |
| 1848 | +96.1% | 7,743 tonnes | 15,186 tonnes |
| 1850 | -45.1% | 11,514 tonnes | 6,324 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1750s | 0 tonnes | 0 tonnes | 0 tonnes | 10 |
| 1760s | 0 tonnes | 0 tonnes | 0 tonnes | 10 |
| 1770s | 0 tonnes | 0 tonnes | 0 tonnes | 10 |
| 1780s | 0.1907 tonnes | 0 tonnes | 0.3811 tonnes | 10 |
| 1790s | 0.8604 tonnes | 0.4234 tonnes | 1.3 tonnes | 10 |
| 1800s | 2.84 tonnes | 1.39 tonnes | 4.29 tonnes | 10 |
| 1810s | 9.7 tonnes | 4.61 tonnes | 14.78 tonnes | 10 |
| 1820s | 32.28 tonnes | 15.9 tonnes | 48.61 tonnes | 10 |
| 1830s | 86.55 tonnes | 52.22 tonnes | 120.75 tonnes | 10 |
| 1840s | 4,328 tonnes | 128.31 tonnes | 15,186 tonnes | 10 |
| 1850s | 11,528 tonnes | 6,324 tonnes | 16,794 tonnes | 10 |
| 1860s | 21,444 tonnes | 17,962 tonnes | 24,740 tonnes | 10 |
| 1870s | 29,690 tonnes | 24,522 tonnes | 36,270 tonnes | 10 |
| 1880s | 54,168 tonnes | 37,866 tonnes | 71,670 tonnes | 10 |
| 1890s | 108,236 tonnes | 74,269 tonnes | 157,186 tonnes | 10 |
| 1900s | 233,104 tonnes | 184,760 tonnes | 287,188 tonnes | 10 |
| 1910s | 299,374 tonnes | 260,157 tonnes | 340,760 tonnes | 10 |
| 1920s | 279,045 tonnes | 199,195 tonnes | 353,628 tonnes | 10 |
| 1930s | 380,043 tonnes | 310,183 tonnes | 489,451 tonnes | 10 |
| 1940s | 437,264 tonnes | 384,010 tonnes | 491,529 tonnes | 10 |
| 1950s | 662,520 tonnes | 491,983 tonnes | 826,389 tonnes | 10 |
| 1960s | 1.07 million tonnes | 913,804 tonnes | 1.46 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.48 million tonnes | 1.34 million tonnes | 1.60 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.54 million tonnes | 1.48 million tonnes | 1.66 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.58 million tonnes | 1.28 million tonnes | 1.80 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.41 million tonnes | 1.36 million tonnes | 1.55 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.21 million tonnes | 1.02 million tonnes | 1.34 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.02 million tonnes | 948,680 tonnes | 1.07 million tonnes | 3 |
Countries ranked near Australia
- 13 Brazil 1.13 million tonnes compare
- 14 Peru 1.11 million tonnes compare
- 15 Kazakhstan 1.06 million tonnes compare
- 17 Singapore 1.03 million tonnes compare
- 18 Uzbekistan 1.02 million tonnes compare
- 19 United Arab Emirates 874,177 tonnes compare
More energy & mining data for Australia
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate -0.4235 % change on previous year (2025)
- Coal consumption, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal consumption, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per capita 0.0001 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal production, per capita 0.0001 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal production, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Fuel imports 11.7% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions in Australia?
- Coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions in Australia was 1.05 million tonnes in 2022, according to Hoesly et al. (2024) – Community Emissions Data System (CEDS) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 1.80 million tonnes in 1993.
- What is the lowest coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 tonnes in 1750.
- How does Australia rank for coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions?
- Australia ranks 16th out of 220 countries with data for 2022.
- Is coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 20.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from Hoesly et al. (2024) – Community Emissions Data System (CEDS) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Coal consumption and sulphur dioxide emissions. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 273 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Sulfur dioxide (SO₂) is an air pollutant formed from the burning of fuels that contain sulfur, such as coal. SO₂ is one of the main chemicals that forms acid rain.