
TL;DR: New Zealand’s carbon emissions drop for the third year, driven by increased renewable energy use and reductions in agriculture and transport.
For the third year running, New Zealand has seen a drop in gross carbon emissions, with this year’s reduction equalling three times the emissions from domestic flights in 2022.
The latest report from the Ministry for the Environment shows a 4% decline in emissions from 2021, continuing the trend from a slight 0.1% decrease the year before. The data suggests this decrease is largely due to increased production of renewable electricity. Notably, less coal and gas were used, enhancing hydroelectric power generation thanks to wetter conditions.
Wind power also saw a rise, contributing to about 6.5% of total electricity generated.
Agriculture remains the main source of emissions, accounting for 53% of the total. However, it saw a minor drop of 1.4% in emissions, linked to fewer sheep and reduced usage of nitrogen fertiliser.
Transport emissions decreased by 1.6%, despite travel distances not changing significantly, thanks to reduced petrol consumption.
Forestry absorbed a bit less carbon than last year, but overall, net emissions still fell slightly to 50.2 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent. Forestry plays a key role, influencing nearly a quarter of the country’s emissions through its planting cycles.