05/30/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 05/29/2024 16:49
30 May 2024, 10:45am
Greenhouse gas emissions statistics include the emissions gas type for both industries and households, the emissions intensity (emissions in relation to GDP/economic output) for industries, and tourism-related emissions.
Industry and household emissions estimates use the latest New Zealand Greenhouse Gas Inventory data from the Ministry for the Environment and show updated production-based gross emissions for the years ended December 2007 through to 2022, on a System of Environmental-Economic Accounts (SEEA) basis.
This release is the first of Stats NZ's greenhouse gas emissions accounts to use updated global warming potentials from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's Fifth Assessment Report.
Fifth Assessment Report has more information.
This change maintains alignment between Stats NZ's emissions accounts and New Zealand's Greenhouse Gas Inventory produced by the Ministry for the Environment.
Data from 116 industries is available as a downloadable CSV under Download data. In addition, we have added the following two CSVs:
Excel spreadsheet, 124 KB
Comma Separated Values, 3.1 MB
Comma Separated Values, 862 KB
Comma Separated Values, 1.7 MB
Change in emissions by industry and household (kilotonnes CO₂-e), 2021-2022
Industry | Kilotonnes |
Transport, postal, and warehousing | 694 |
Mining | 191 |
Wholesale trade | 30 |
Arts, recreation, and other services | 17 |
Health care and social assistance | 13 |
Education and training | 7 |
Accommodation and food services | -4 |
Retail trade | -6 |
Government and defence | -17 |
Telecommunications, financial, rental, professional, and administrative services | -33 |
Construction | -59 |
Households | -133 |
Agriculture, forestry, and fishing | -773 |
Manufacturing | -969 |
Electricity, gas, water, and waste services | -1,827 |
Total greenhouse gas emissions from industry and households were 8.4 percent (7,323 kilotonnes) lower than their 2007 level, which is the start of the time series.
Indexes of emissions by industry and household (CO₂-e), 2007-2022
Year | Industries | Households | Total (industries and households) |
2007 | 1,000 | 1,000 | 1,000 |
2008 | 1,003 | 962 | 1,000 |
2009 | 960 | 968 | 961 |
2010 | 967 | 967 | 967 |
2011 | 962 | 967 | 962 |
2012 | 993 | 961 | 990 |
2013 | 983 | 955 | 980 |
2014 | 992 | 976 | 990 |
2015 | 986 | 1,026 | 989 |
2016 | 957 | 1,048 | 966 |
2017 | 972 | 1,089 | 983 |
2018 | 980 | 1,081 | 989 |
2019 | 995 | 1,081 | 1,003 |
2020 | 948 | 1,011 | 954 |
2021 | 940 | 1,036 | 949 |
2022 | 905 | 1,019 | 916 |
Indexes of emissions by industry and household (CO₂-e), 2007-2022
An index line graph allows movements in data series with different levels/scales to be easily compared. Indexing sets the initial value of each data series to 1000, and subsequent points reflect the percentage change since the initial value.
Change in emissions (CO₂-e), by industry and household, 2007-2022
Industry | Kilotonnes |
Construction | 911 |
Wholesale trade | 190 |
Households | 159 |
Government and defence | 90 |
Arts, recreation, and other services | 54 |
Health care and social assistance | 20 |
Accommodation and food services | -35 |
Education and training | -42 |
Retail trade | -78 |
Telecommunications, financial, rental, professional, and administrative services | -135 |
Agriculture, forestry, and fishing | -598 |
Mining | -841 |
Manufacturing | -983 |
Transport, postal, and warehousing | -1,559 |
Electricity, gas, water, and waste services | -4,477 |
The next sections cover emissions intensity, emissions by broad industry group and by gas type, emissions related to tourism, and additional detail on industry-group emissions over time.
An industry's emissions intensity is the ratio of greenhouse gas emissions to value added (sometimes referred to as an industry's contribution to GDP). It can tell us how many emissions are produced per dollar added to the economy by the industry. If value added increases at a greater rate than emissions, emissions per unit of value added is less and the emissions intensity decreases. Emission intensity ratios are a standardised measure for each industry and therefore can be used to compare across industries.
Percentage change in emissions intensity (CO₂-e) by industry, 2021-2022
Industry | Percent |
Mining | 27.4 |
Education and training | 11.3 |
Transport, postal, and warehousing | 7.6 |
Arts, recreation, and other services | 5 |
Wholesale trade | 0.2 |
Retail trade | -0.8 |
Health care and social assistance | -1.2 |
Construction | -2.8 |
Agriculture, forestry, and fishing | -3.7 |
Manufacturing | -4.5 |
Government and defence | -5.5 |
Accommodation and food services | -7.5 |
Telecommunications, financial, rental, professional, and administrative services | -10 |
Electricity, gas, water, and waste services | -23 |
Between 2021 and 2022, emissions intensity for industries fell 5.9 percent. Electricity, gas, water, and waste services had the largest reduction in emissions intensity, dropping 23 percent. Emissions intensity of telecommunications, financial, rental, professional, and administrative service and accommodation and food services fell 10.0 and 7.5 percent respectively.
Emissions intensity is derived as an industry's emissions divided by its value added. As an example, the emissions intensity for manufacturing industries at the total level has been declining since 2014. This is primarily associated with increases in value added by units in these industries and, to a smaller degree, decreases in emissions by these units.
Note: value added is in constant prices and therefore accounts for inflation.
Indexes of emissions (CO₂-e), value added, and emissions intensity for the total manufacturing industry, 2007-2022
Year | Emissions intensity | Value added | Emissions (CO2-e) |
2007 | 1,000 | 1,000 | 1,000 |
2008 | 1,035 | 942 | 975 |
2009 | 1,078 | 858 | 925 |
2010 | 1,104 | 898 | 991 |
2011 | 1,089 | 886 | 965 |
2012 | 1,117 | 897 | 1,002 |
2013 | 1,180 | 904 | 1,067 |
2014 | 1,258 | 925 | 1,163 |
2015 | 1,233 | 942 | 1,161 |
2016 | 1,151 | 970 | 1,117 |
2017 | 1,128 | 989 | 1,115 |
2018 | 1,094 | 1,007 | 1,102 |
2019 | 1,109 | 1,018 | 1,130 |
2020 | 1,044 | 974 | 1,017 |
2021 | 984 | 1,015 | 999 |
2022 | 940 | 961 | 903 |
Indexes of emissions (CO₂-e), value added, and emissions intensity for the total manufacturing industry, 2007-2022
An index line graph allows movements in data series with different levels/scales to be easily compared. Indexing sets the initial value of each data series to 1000, and subsequent points reflect the percentage change since the initial value. Intensity is measured as an index of kilotonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions to chain volume value added (millions) expressed in 2009/10 prices.
The 'Greenhouse gas emissions (industry and household): Year ended 2022 - intensity - CSV' under Download data provides a further breakdown of 31 industries at the ANZSIC or one-digit level, including emissions intensities for nine industries that make up the total manufacturing industry. The five manufacturing industries below produced on average the most emissions within total manufacturing over the timeseries.
Emissions intensities of selected manufacturing industries, 2007-2022
Year | Food, beverage, and tobacco product manufacturing | Wood and paper products manufacturing and printing | Petroleum, chemical, polymer, and rubber product manufacturing | Non-metallic mineral product manufacturing | Metal product manufacturing |
2007 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 1.5 | 0.8 |
2008 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 1.5 | 0.8 |
2009 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 1.5 | 1 |
2010 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 1.5 | 1.1 |
2011 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 1.5 | 1.1 |
2012 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 1.5 | 1 |
2013 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 1.6 | 1.1 |
2014 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.9 | 1.4 | 1.1 |
2015 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.9 | 1.4 | 1 |
2016 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 1 |
2017 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 1 |
2018 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 1 |
2019 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 1.2 | 0.9 |
2020 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 1 |
2021 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 0.9 | 1 |
2022 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 0.9 |
The emissions intensity of the non-metallic manufacturing industry, for example, has been declining over the time series, and is down 39.6 percent from 2007 levels in 2022. Both decreasing emissions (down 34.0 percent since 2007) and increasing value added (up 9.2 percent since 2007) have contributed to the fall in emissions intensity for this industry.
Primary industries contributed the most greenhouse gas emissions (57.2 percent) to the 'all industry and households' total but had the smallest contribution to nominal gross domestic product (GDP) (6.5 percent). This group includes agriculture, forestry, fishing, and mining.
Goods-producing industries contributed the second most to both emissions and GDP, at 22.6 percent and 18.3 percent respectively. This group includes manufacturing industries; electricity, gas, water, and waste services; and construction.
Service industries, as a broad industry group, contributed the least greenhouse gas emissions (9.8 percent) to the 'all industry and households' total but contributed the most to nominal GDP (67.1 percent). This group includes wholesale trade; retail trade; transport, postal, and warehousing; government and defence; and many others.
Gross emissions decreased 2,869 kilotonnes between 2021 and 2022 with three gases contributing to the decrease - carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide gases (expressed in carbon dioxide equivalent form).
Carbon dioxide emissions fell the most, dropping 2,171 kilotonnes in 2022, led by electricity and gas supply, which reduced by 1,719 kilotonnes. The largest offsetting increase came from rail, water, air, and other transport, which rose 679 kilotonnes.
Methane emissions fell 279 kilotonnes. The fall was driven by sheep, beef, cattle, and grain farming, which reduced by 289 kilotonnes. This was partly offset by a 104 kilotonne increase in emissions from dairy-cattle farming.
Nitrous oxide emissions fell 340 kilotonnes, driven by dairy-cattle farming (down 198 kilotonnes) and sheep, beef-cattle, and grain farming (down 132 kilotonnes).
Fluorinated gas emissions fell 79 kilotonnes, driven by water, sewerage, drainage, and waste services, which reduced by 72 kilotonnes.
Change in emissions of broad industry groups and households (kilotonnes CO₂-e), by gas type, 2021-2022
Gas type | Primary industries | Goods-producing industries | Service industries | Households |
Carbon dioxide | -6.8 | -2,720.3 | 691.9 | -135.8 |
Fluorinated gases | 0.2 | -71.3 | -12.5 | 4.8 |
Methane | -225.8 | -54 | 0.3 | 0.7 |
Nitrous oxide | -349.8 | -9.4 | 21.5 | -2.3 |
The 'Greenhouse gas emissions (industry and household): Year ended 2022 - CSV' under Download data has a further breakdown of gas type by broad industry groups and households.
Estimates of tourism-related greenhouse gas emissions show the amounts of emissions produced that can be attributed to tourist activity by New Zealand residents, whether domestically or offshore. Tourism includes transport, accommodation, and food and beverage services that relate to tourism activities and other industries that tourists may purchase the outputs from, for example, manufacturing. Tourism-related emissions also include those from households using vehicles for tourist activity.
In 2022, emissions from tourism-related activities increased 598 kilotonnes to 3,838 kilotonnes, on a SEEA basis. The most significant changes in tourism emissions were:
Change in tourism emissions (kilotonnes CO₂-e), by industry, 2021-2022
Industry and households | Kilotonnes |
Air and space transport | 777 |
Total | 598 |
Other transport, transport support, and travel and tour services | 21 |
Road, rail, and water transport | 17 |
Accommodation | 9 |
Other | 7 |
Arts and recreation services | 4 |
Food and beverage services | 4 |
Retail trade | 2 |
Wholesale trade | 1 |
Education and training | 1 |
Rental and hiring services | 0 |
Manufacturing | -55 |
Domestic tourism | -191 |
When compared with total greenhouse gas emissions, tourism-related emissions accounted for 4.8 percent of total emissions produced. This has increased from 3.9 percent in 2021 but is still far lower than the preceding years, which ranged between 6.0 percent in 2013 and 7.1 percent of total emissions in 2017.
Emissions from tourism, tourism's contribution to GDP, and employment from tourism increased from 2021 due to lifting of COVID-19-related travel restrictions in 2022.
Percentage contributions of tourism to emissions (CO₂-e), employment, and GDP, 2007-2022
Year | Direct tourism value added as a percentage of total industry contribution to GDP | Number of people directly employed in tourism as a percentage of total employment | Tourism contribution to emissions - carbon dioxide equivalents (percent) (SEEA basis) |
2007 | 5.7 | 8.5 | 6.3 |
2008 | 5.2 | 8.5 | 6.3 |
2009 | 5.2 | 8.2 | 6.1 |
2010 | 5.1 | 8 | 6.2 |
2011 | 5.1 | 7.6 | 6.1 |
2012 | 5.1 | 7.5 | 6 |
2013 | 5 | 7.3 | 6 |
2014 | 5.6 | 7.8 | 6.1 |
2015 | 6.2 | 8.3 | 6.6 |
2016 | 5.8 | 8 | 7 |
2017 | 5.8 | 8.3 | 7.1 |
2018 | 5.6 | 8 | 6.8 |
2019 | 5.4 | 8 | 6.6 |
2020 | 3.4 | 5.4 | 4.6 |
2021 | 3.1 | 4.7 | 3.9 |
2022 | 3.7 | 6.7 | 4.8 |
Percentage contributions of tourism to emissions (CO₂-e), employment, and GDP, 2007-2022
The number of people employed directly in tourism and the tourism contributions to GDP data are from the tourism satellite account and are based on the year ended March.
Greenhouse gas emissions are based on year ended December.
The top tourism-related emissions contributors in 2022 were:
The table below summarises key industry contributions to total emissions in 2022, the change in industry emissions when compared with 2007 levels, and the average annual growth rates implied by those changes for key greenhouse gases.
Download data has further industry details available in the Excel and CSV files.
Contribution, absolute change, and annual average growth of emissions by industry, 2007-2022
Industry (ANZSIC06) and households |
2022 |
2007-2022 |
|||||
Contribution to total CO2-e |
Absolute change in CO2-e |
Key gases |
|||||
CO2-e |
CO2 |
CH4 |
|||||
% of total |
Kt |
Average annual % change |
|||||
Primary industries |
57.2 |
-1,439 |
-0.2 |
-1.0 |
-0.2 |
||
Agriculture, forestry, and fishing |
55.6 |
-598 |
-0.1 |
-1.2 |
-0.1 |
||
Agriculture |
54.7 |
-437 |
-0.1 |
-1.3 |
-0.1 |
||
Forestry and logging |
0.5 |
-2 |
0.0 |
1.6 |
-2.7 |
||
Fishing, aquaculture and agriculture, |
0.4 |
-159 |
-2.9 |
-2.9 |
-6.0 |
||
Mining |
1.6 |
-841 |
-3.3 |
-0.5 |
-8.9 |
||
Goods-producing industries |
22.6 |
-4,549 |
-1.5 |
-1.8 |
-1.9 |
||
Manufacturing |
11.5 |
-983 |
-0.7 |
-0.7 |
1.1 |
||
Electricity, gas, water, and waste services |
8.7 |
-4,477 |
-3.3 |
-5.2 |
-2.1 |
||
Construction |
2.3 |
911 |
4.6 |
4.5 |
-1.6 |
||
Service industries |
9.8 |
-1,494 |
-1.2 |
-1.3 |
-4.0 |
||
Transport, postal, and warehousing |
6.4 |
-1,559 |
-1.8 |
-1.8 |
-7.3 |
||
Services excluding transport, postal, |
3.3 |
65 |
0.2 |
0.1 |
-2.8 |
||
Total all industries |
89.5 |
-7,482 |
-0.7 |
-1.5 |
-0.4 |
||
Households |
10.5 |
159 |
0.1 |
0.2 |
-0.2 |
||
Total |
-7,323 |
-0.6 |
-1.2 |
-0.4 |
|||
Source: Stats NZ |
|||||||
Note:Contribution to emissions is based on the December 2022 year. CO2-e - carbon dioxide equivalent, CO2- carbon dioxide, and CH4- methane. |
Greenhouse gas emissions (industry and household): Year ended 2022 - DataInfo+ gives information on improvements and revisions made in this release.
Updates to 2024 greenhouse gas emissions (industry and household) statistics provides an overview of the changes we made to this year's Stats NZ emissions accounts, including Greenhouse gas emissions (industry and household): Year ended 2022.
Environmental-economic accounts: Sources and methods (third edition) presents the data sources and methods used for each of Stats NZ's environmental-economic accounts, including Greenhouse gas emissions (industry and household): Year ended 2022.
Lennard Gui
021 285 9191
[email protected]
Adam Tipper
04 931 4944
[email protected]
ISSN 2703-5263
Greenhouse gas emissions (industry and household): March 2024 quarter will be released on 23 July 2024.