Seasonally adjusted greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions increased 0.8 percent (161 kilotonnes) in the June 2022 quarter from the March 2022 quarter, despite a 7.5 percent fall in manufacturing emissions (194 kilotonnes) over the quarter, Stats NZ said today.
This quarter saw the third successive increase in quarterly emissions.
In the June 2022 quarter, gross domestic product (GDP) rose by 1.9 percent.
| Quarter | Emissions | GDP |
| Mar-14 | 1000 | 1000 |
| Jun-14 | 1010 | 1004 |
| Sep-14 | 1017 | 1017 |
| Dec-14 | 1026 | 1034 |
| Mar-15 | 1024 | 1037 |
| Jun-15 | 1009 | 1045 |
| Sep-15 | 1011 | 1055 |
| Dec-15 | 1008 | 1066 |
| Mar-16 | 997 | 1079 |
| Jun-16 | 992 | 1090 |
| Sep-16 | 999 | 1099 |
| Dec-16 | 975 | 1103 |
| Mar-17 | 987 | 1115 |
| Jun-17 | 1015 | 1126 |
| Sep-17 | 1018 | 1136 |
| Dec-17 | 1021 | 1146 |
| Mar-18 | 1000 | 1155 |
| Jun-18 | 1007 | 1170 |
| Sep-18 | 1018 | 1172 |
| Dec-18 | 1032 | 1187 |
| Mar-19 | 1046 | 1194 |
| Jun-19 | 1038 | 1202 |
| Sep-19 | 1025 | 1213 |
| Dec-19 | 1025 | 1218 |
| Mar-20 | 1010 | 1205 |
| Jun-20 | 920 | 1083 |
| Sep-20 | 991 | 1236 |
| Dec-20 | 988 | 1230 |
| Mar-21 | 993 | 1255 |
| Jun-21 | 1034 | 1285 |
| Sep-21 | 926 | 1235 |
| Dec-21 | 943 | 1270 |
| Mar-22 | 958 | 1265 |
| Jun-22 | 966 | 1289 |
Manufacturing emissions fall in June 2022 quarter
Although total quarterly emissions rose, decreases were recorded by households and several industry groups. Most notably, manufacturing emissions dropped by 7.5 percent (194 kilotonnes).
“The fall was driven mostly by petroleum, chemical, plastic, and rubber product manufacturing,” environmental-economic accounts manager Stephen Oakley said. “The cessation of oil refining activity from April 2022 was a key factor behind manufacturing’s quarterly fall.”
Emissions from two key industries rise
Falls in emissions from manufacturing and households were more than offset by increases in emissions from electricity, gas, water, and waste industries (up 8.5 percent, 158 kilotonnes) and transport, postal, and warehousing (up 5.5 percent, 64 kilotonnes).
Electricity, gas, water, and waste services emissions were impacted this quarter by an increase in electricity generated from coal and natural gas.
“As we noted last quarter, shifts in the renewable share of energy sources used for electricity generation can create volatility in New Zealand’s total quarterly emissions,” Oakley said.
| Industry | Emissions |
| “Electricity | 158 |
| gas | 64 |
| water | -7 |
| and waste services” | -10 |
| “Transport | -16 |
| postal | -37 |
| and warehousing” | -41 |
| “Services excluding transport | -194 |
| postal | |
| and warehousing” | |
| Construction | |
| Mining | |
| “Agriculture | |
| forestry | |
| and fishing” | |
| Households | |
| Manufacturing |
Household emissions fall
Household emissions fell 2.0 percent in the June 2022 quarter, driven by a 1.7 percent (31 kilotonnes) fall in private transport emissions.
Annual emissions
For the year to June 2022, total annual emissions fell 5.2 percent (4,266 kilotonnes). Total annual emissions for industry and households were 77,512 kilotonnes – still significantly below the pre-pandemic level, which peaked at 84,633 kilotonnes in September 2019.
