Seasonally adjusted greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions decreased 3.5 percent (696 kilotonnes) in the September 2022 quarter, according to figures released by Stats NZ today.
The fall in emissions follows successive increases over the previous three quarters and was driven mostly by significant reductions in the electricity, gas, water, and waste services industry, and in the manufacturing industry.
| Industry | Emissions |
| “Transport | 118 |
| postal | 61 |
| and warehousing” | 29 |
| Households | 12 |
| Construction | -2 |
| Mining | -31 |
| “Agriculture | -205 |
| forestry | -522 |
| and fishing” | |
| “Services excluding transport | |
| postal | |
| and warehousing” | |
| Manufacturing | |
| “Electricity | |
| gas | |
| water | |
| and waste services” |
Electricity, gas, water, and waste services industry emissions plunge
Emissions from the electricity, gas, water, and waste services industry decreased by 26 percent (522 kilotonnes) compared with the June quarter.
“The fall was mostly due to a smaller share of fossil fuels being used to generate electricity, and a higher share of renewable energy sources,” environmental-economic accounts manager Stephen Oakley said.
“Most notably, hydroelectric generation increased 29 percent over the September quarter, geothermal was up 2.0 percent, and wind generated electricity reached its highest ever level after increasing by 9.7 percent.”
Over the same period, gross domestic product (GDP) for the electricity, gas, water, and waste services industry grew by 3.1 percent.
Manufacturing emissions fall further
Manufacturing emissions decreased for the second quarter in a row. Last quarter, emissions reached their lowest level since the beginning of the time series in March 2014, and in the September quarter dropped a further 8.6 percent (205 kilotonnes), to 2,187 kilotonnes.
“In both quarters significant contributors to the declines came from the petroleum, chemical, polymer, and rubber product manufacturing industries,” Oakley said. “In the September quarter, food, beverage, and tobacco manufacturing emissions also declined. Over the same period, manufacturing GDP fell by 0.3 percent.”
Primary industry emissions flat
Quarterly emissions from primary industries – agriculture, forestry, fishing, and mining – have been relatively stable over the last five quarters, holding at just under 11,000 kilotonnes per quarter.
Transport services emissions rise
New Zealand spent most of the September 2022 quarter under the Orange traffic light setting of the COVID-19 Protection Framework. However, during the September 2022 quarter, border restrictions and vaccine requirements were progressively eased and the Protection Framework ceased from 14 September.
Over the June and September 2022 quarters, transport emissions rose by 9.9 and 9.3 percent, respectively (115 and 118 kilotonnes). However, emissions from ‘other services’, which include the tourist-sensitive hospitality and accommodation industries, decreased over these quarters.
Household emissions increase
Household emissions rose by 3.0 percent in the September 2022 quarter, driven by a 3.3 percent (61 kilotonnes) increase in private transport emissions.
Emissions and GDP
In the September 2022 quarter, GDP rose by 1.7 percent, while industry emissions, excluding households, fell by 4.1 percent.
| Industry | Emissions | GDP |
| “Agriculture | 0 | -0.3 |
| forestry | 3.7 | 7 |
| and fishing” | -8.6 | -0.3 |
| Mining | -25.8 | 3.1 |
| Manufacturing | 7.6 | 5.3 |
| “Electricity | 9.3 | 9 |
| gas | -4.5 | 1.4 |
| water | -4.1 | 1.7 |
| and waste services” | ||
| Construction | ||
| “Transport | ||
| postal | ||
| and warehousing” | ||
| “Services excluding transport | ||
| postal | ||
| and warehousing” | ||
| Total industry |
