Greenhouse Gas Emissions Up 1.1% in June Quarter 2024

Seasonally adjusted industry and household greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions increased 1.1 percent in the June 2024 quarter, according to figures released by Stats NZ today.

"This increase of 224 kilotonnes during the quarter was due to more emissions from industry, particularly from the electricity, gas, water, and waste services industry," environment statistics unit manager Tehseen Islam said.

Over this quarter, industry emissions (excluding households) increased by 1.7 percent (292 kilotonnes). By comparison, gross domestic product (GDP), which accounts for industry production, decreased 0.2 percent in the same period.

Emissions from households fell 1.2 percent (26 kilotonnes) in the June 2024 quarter.

Electricity generation main driver of increase

The largest increase in emissions came from electricity, gas, water, and waste services, up 32 percent (566 kilotonnes). Emissions from construction were also up 8.4 percent (35 kilotonnes), and transport, postal, and warehousing emissions increased 0.4 percent (6 kilotonnes).

"This increase in emissions from electricity, gas, water, and waste services was driven by an increase in the use of fossil fuels (coal and gas) for electricity generation," Islam said.

New Zealand experienced dry conditions in hydro-generation areas in the June 2024 quarter. As a result, 81 percent of our electricity in the quarter was generated from renewable sources compared with 86 percent in the previous quarter, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment reported in their New Zealand Energy Quarterly.

"The main source of fluctuation in New Zealand's total quarterly emissions was the change in energy sources used for electricity generation. In this quarter, the increase in emissions from greater use of fossil fuels for electricity generation was over 16 times greater than the next biggest increase, which was in the construction industry," Islam said.

The largest decrease in emissions came from manufacturing, down 5.7 percent (118 kilotonnes). The next largest decreases this quarter were in agriculture, forestry, and fishing, down 0.6 percent (63 kilotonnes), and households, down 1.2 percent (26 kilotonnes).

Annual emissions rise

In the year ended June 2024, New Zealand industry and households emitted 79,838 kilotonnes of GHGs. This was 1.8 percent higher than the 78,430 kilotonnes in the previous June year. 

The most significant contributors to this rise were electricity, gas, water, and waste services, up 30 percent (1,775 kilotonnes), and transport, postal, and warehousing, up 13 percent (773 kilotonnes).

Agriculture, forestry, and fishing emissions decreased 1.6 percent (721 kilotonnes) in the year ended June 2024.