Seasonally adjusted greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from industries and households rose by 4.8 percent in the June 2021 quarter, following a 1.4 percent increase in the March 2021 quarter, Stats NZ said today.
The largest industry contributors to this increase were electricity, gas, water, and waste services up 16 percent; transport, postal, and warehousing up 19 percent; and agriculture, forestry, and fishing up 0.9 percent (seasonally adjusted).
“The electricity, gas, water, and waste services industry reached a record quarterly level of 2,927 kilotonnes of GHG emissions (seasonally adjusted), up 412 kilotonnes on the March 2021 quarter. This is mainly due to a large increase in coal use for electricity generation,” environmental economic accounts manager Stephen Oakley said.
| Quarter | Quarterly |
| Dec-15 | -0.2 |
| Mar-16 | -0.8 |
| Jun-16 | -0.7 |
| Sep-16 | 0.3 |
| Dec-16 | -2.5 |
| Mar-17 | 1.9 |
| Jun-17 | 2.5 |
| Sep-17 | 0 |
| Dec-17 | 0.2 |
| Mar-18 | -0.8 |
| Jun-18 | 0.3 |
| Sep-18 | 0.2 |
| Dec-18 | 1.1 |
| Mar-19 | 1.5 |
| Jun-19 | -0.2 |
| Sep-19 | 0.3 |
| Dec-19 | -1.4 |
| Mar-20 | -1.6 |
| Jun-20 | -7.7 |
| Sep-20 | 8.2 |
| Dec-20 | -2.2 |
| Mar-21 | 1.4 |
| Jun-21 | 4.8 |
| Quarter | Annual |
| Dec-15 | 0.2 |
| Mar-16 | -0.9 |
| Jun-16 | -1.4 |
| Sep-16 | -1.7 |
| Dec-16 | -2.3 |
| Mar-17 | -2.0 |
| Jun-17 | -1.1 |
| Sep-17 | -0.3 |
| Dec-17 | 1.9 |
| Mar-18 | 2.7 |
| Jun-18 | 2.1 |
| Sep-18 | 1.6 |
| Dec-18 | 0.6 |
| Mar-19 | 1.0 |
| Jun-19 | 1.6 |
| Sep-19 | 2.3 |
| Dec-19 | 2.1 |
| Mar-20 | 0.5 |
| Jun-20 | -2.4 |
| Sep-20 | -3.8 |
| Dec-20 | -4.9 |
| Mar-21 | -4.4 |
| Jun-21 | 0.5 |
Manufacturing, and household transport recorded the largest decreases in this quarter, down 2.6 percent (73 kilotonnes) and 0.2 percent (6 kilotonnes) respectively.
More detailed household emissions estimates available
“For the first time, we have produced emissions estimates by household activities, such as transport, and for heating and cooling, allowing us to see household emission sources,” Mr Oakley said.
“Emissions from household transport dipped slightly from the March quarter (seasonally adjusted) but are still a substantial component, contributing more than 90 percent of total household emissions.”
New emissions estimates by greenhouse gas type introduced this quarter
The majority of industrial and household GHG emissions were carbon dioxide (51 percent), followed by methane (37 percent), nitrous oxide (10 percent), and fluorinated gases (2.2 percent).
“For the first time, quarterly emissions estimates are available by greenhouse gas type. This additional information gives us a better understanding of New Zealand’s quarterly emissions profile and what’s driving it,” Mr Oakley said.
Over the seasonally adjusted time series, carbon dioxide was the most variable GHG emission, showing fluctuations over the time series, due to economic output influences (most notably the dip in the June 2020 quarter emissions due to COVID-19 restrictions).
| Quarter | Carbon dioxide | Methane | Nitrous oxide | Fluorinated gases |
| Mar-14 | 9141 | 8926 | 2052 | 345 |
| Jun-14 | 9354 | 8884 | 2060 | 348 |
| Sep-14 | 9492 | 8863 | 2067 | 352 |
| Dec-14 | 9622 | 8829 | 2069 | 358 |
| Mar-15 | 9750 | 8784 | 2048 | 365 |
| Jun-15 | 9535 | 8758 | 2039 | 373 |
| Sep-15 | 9543 | 8730 | 2037 | 381 |
| Dec-15 | 9477 | 8719 | 2043 | 390 |
| Mar-16 | 9355 | 8671 | 2046 | 399 |
| Jun-16 | 9212 | 8643 | 2047 | 406 |
| Sep-16 | 9299 | 8631 | 2049 | 413 |
| Dec-16 | 8806 | 8619 | 2052 | 418 |
| Mar-17 | 9188 | 8624 | 2052 | 421 |
| Jun-17 | 9607 | 8605 | 2052 | 429 |
| Sep-17 | 9656 | 8593 | 2055 | 440 |
| Dec-17 | 9786 | 8588 | 2061 | 455 |
| Mar-18 | 9498 | 8661 | 2081 | 472 |
| Jun-18 | 9411 | 8604 | 2087 | 483 |
| Sep-18 | 9542 | 8597 | 2089 | 486 |
| Dec-18 | 9916 | 8602 | 2093 | 482 |
| Mar-19 | 10220 | 8654 | 2094 | 470 |
| Jun-19 | 9844 | 8648 | 2100 | 460 |
| Sep-19 | 10051 | 8634 | 2098 | 454 |
| Dec-19 | 10007 | 8608 | 2095 | 451 |
| Mar-20 | 9715 | 8562 | 2097 | 447 |
| Jun-20 | 7880 | 8556 | 2093 | 442 |
| Sep-20 | 9519 | 8531 | 2097 | 439 |
| Dec-20 | 9326 | 8483 | 2092 | 436 |
| Mar-21 | 9700 | 8432 | 2074 | 432 |
| Jun-21 | 10202 | 8436 | 2090 | 429 |
Annual emissions still below pre-COVID-19 levels
In the year ended June 2021, the New Zealand economy emitted 82,681 kilotonnes of GHGs (actual series), down 1.9 percent when compared with the pre-COVID-19 June 2019 year value of 84,307 kilotonnes. This compares to a 3.7 percent rise in gross domestic product (GDP) over the same two-year period (June 2019-June2021).
Industries that saw the largest annual increase in the June 2021 year included electricity, gas, water, and waste services, up 23 percent (1,873 kilotonnes); services excluding transport, postal, and warehousing, up 3.2 percent (103 kilotonnes); and construction up 8.8 percent (102 kilotonnes). Household transport emissions increased 14 percent (1,166 kilotonnes) in the 2021 June year, reflecting increased vehicle use post national lockdown in the previous June year.
Feedback
Stats NZ welcomes feedback on the methodology used to produce these new experimental estimates as it is the intention to develop them into official statistics. If you would like to provide feedback, or have an enquiry, please email GHG quarterly feedback.
Experimental emissions data is available in graphical form on the COVID-19 data portal under the ‘Economic’ tab.
About the data
Stats NZ quarterly emissions estimates can be used to track gross emissions in a timely fashion and show how these change in relation to economic activity. The estimates use data from Stats NZ’s Greenhouse gas emissions (industry and household): Year ended 2019 which draws on New Zealand’s greenhouse gas inventory, New Zealand’s official source of emissions and removals, reported annually by the Ministry for the Environment (MfE) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
This experimental release on quarterly production-based emissions is done within the SEEA framework to track emissions in relation to economic activity. The SEEA production-based emissions estimates transform the greenhouse gas inventory data to be consistent with economic classifications and concepts by changing the unit of analysis (from a process-based approach, for example, energy and waste, to a standard production-based industrial classification, for example, ANZSIC06) and applying the residency principle. This means deducting emissions from non-residents operating on the domestic territory (for example, international tourists driving vehicles) and adding emissions from residents operating overseas (for example, international aviation or shipping companies).
The Greenhouse Gas Inventory is based on the territory principle. It is best suited for understanding New Zealand’s greenhouse gas profile (in both gross and net terms) and identifying the source processes that generate emissions within the territory. It is also the basis on which progress towards targets are determined.
The latest annual benchmarks used in the June 2021 quarter estimates are from the December 2019 year.
As seasonally adjusted data are not additive, industry and household contributions to total emissions are based on the actual series.
Greenhouse gas emissions (industry and household): September 2020 quarter – methodology and results has more information on the sources and methods used to produce these statistics.
Due to the experimental nature of the data, revisions are expected as Stats NZ refines the methodology and gradually improves the quality of the series. Quarterly emissions estimates are based on information available at the time of compilation. Revisions to the time series will also result from the incorporation of updated annual benchmarks and quarterly indicators.
See previous greenhouse gas emissions releases:
- Greenhouse gas emissions (industry and household): March 2021 quarter
- Greenhouse gas emissions (industry and household): Year ended 2019
- Greenhouse gas emissions by region (industry and household): Year ended 2019
- Greenhouse gas emissions (consumption-based): Year ended 2017.
Technical enquiries
Adam Tipper
04 931 4944
[email protected]
