Seasonally adjusted greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by industries and households in New Zealand increased 0.9 percent in the March 2025 quarter compared with the December 2024 quarter, according to figures released by Stats NZ today.
"The increase of 176 kilotonnes during this quarter was mainly driven by a rise in industry emissions, particularly from the electricity, gas, water, and waste services industry," environment statistics spokesperson Tehseen Islam said.
Over this quarter, industry emissions, excluding households, increased by 1.0 percent (177 kilotonnes). In comparison, gross domestic product (GDP) rose 0.8 percent over the same period.
In the same period, seasonally adjusted emissions from households fell 0.2 percent (5 kilotonnes).
| Quarter | GDP | Industry emissions |
| Mar-10 | 1000 | 1000 |
| Jun-10 | 1007 | 992 |
| Sep-10 | 1004 | 984 |
| Dec-10 | 999 | 987 |
| Mar-11 | 1009 | 974 |
| Jun-11 | 1013 | 955 |
| Sep-11 | 1024 | 1007 |
| Dec-11 | 1030 | 1010 |
| Mar-12 | 1036 | 1022 |
| Jun-12 | 1042 | 1058 |
| Sep-12 | 1044 | 1012 |
| Dec-12 | 1058 | 996 |
| Mar-13 | 1055 | 996 |
| Jun-13 | 1067 | 1027 |
| Sep-13 | 1073 | 1013 |
| Dec-13 | 1076 | 1005 |
| Mar-14 | 1093 | 1007 |
| Jun-14 | 1098 | 998 |
| Sep-14 | 1112 | 1020 |
| Dec-14 | 1130 | 1037 |
| Mar-15 | 1133 | 1030 |
| Jun-15 | 1142 | 1004 |
| Sep-15 | 1153 | 1001 |
| Dec-15 | 1165 | 1011 |
| Mar-16 | 1179 | 1002 |
| Jun-16 | 1190 | 979 |
| Sep-16 | 1202 | 988 |
| Dec-16 | 1205 | 963 |
| Mar-17 | 1219 | 982 |
| Jun-17 | 1229 | 1007 |
| Sep-17 | 1238 | 1004 |
| Dec-17 | 1249 | 1008 |
| Mar-18 | 1262 | 992 |
| Jun-18 | 1274 | 994 |
| Sep-18 | 1275 | 1011 |
| Dec-18 | 1295 | 1029 |
| Mar-19 | 1307 | 1030 |
| Jun-19 | 1307 | 1010 |
| Sep-19 | 1317 | 1027 |
| Dec-19 | 1330 | 1023 |
| Mar-20 | 1316 | 998 |
| Jun-20 | 1179 | 914 |
| Sep-20 | 1345 | 992 |
| Dec-20 | 1350 | 987 |
| Mar-21 | 1378 | 994 |
| Jun-21 | 1390 | 1013 |
| Sep-21 | 1332 | 944 |
| Dec-21 | 1385 | 947 |
| Mar-22 | 1384 | 962 |
| Jun-22 | 1399 | 946 |
| Sep-22 | 1429 | 914 |
| Dec-22 | 1429 | 917 |
| Mar-23 | 1426 | 918 |
| Jun-23 | 1437 | 906 |
| Sep-23 | 1439 | 939 |
| Dec-23 | 1442 | 938 |
| Mar-24 | 1444 | 918 |
| Jun-24 | 1430 | 932 |
| Sep-24 | 1416 | 916 |
| Dec-24 | 1423 | 896 |
| Mar-25 | 1434 | 905 |
Electricity generation drives rise in emissions
In the March 2025 quarter, the largest increase in emissions came from electricity, gas, water, and waste services, up 67.8 percent (716 kilotonnes), the highest quarterly increase in kilotonnes since the June 2012 quarter. In comparison, GDP from this industry remained unchanged in the March 2025 quarter.
"This rise in emissions from electricity, gas, water, and waste services was largely due to increased use of coal for electricity generation in this quarter," Islam said.
| Industry | Emissions |
| "Electricity | 716 |
| gas | 4 |
| water | -1 |
| and waste services" | -5 |
| "Agriculture | -16 |
| forestry | -27 |
| and fishing" | -38 |
| Mining | -137 |
| Households | |
| "Services excluding transport | |
| postal | |
| and warehousing" | |
| Construction | |
| "Transport | |
| postal | |
| and warehousing" | |
| Manufacturing |
New Zealand Energy Quarterly, published by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), reported that New Zealand experienced below-average hydro inflows in the March 2025 quarter. Hydro generation was down 15.1 percent, falling to its lowest level for any quarter since June 2012, and its lowest March-quarter level since 1987.
"A key factor of fluctuation in New Zealand's total quarterly emissions is the variation in energy sources used for electricity generation," Islam said.
The largest decrease in emissions came from manufacturing, down 6.8 percent (137 kilotonnes) in the March 2025 quarter, compared with the December 2024 quarter. This was followed by decreases in transport, postal, and warehousing, down 2.2 percent (38 kilotonnes), and construction, down 5.7 percent (27 kilotonnes). In comparison, GDP increased across these industries during the same period.
| Industry | Emissions | GDP |
| "Agriculture | 0 | 0.8 |
| forestry | -0.3 | 1 |
| and fishing" | -6.8 | 2.4 |
| Mining | 67.8 | 0 |
| Manufacturing | -5.7 | 0.5 |
| "Electricity | -2.2 | 0.9 |
| gas | -2.7 | 0.4 |
| water | 1 | 0.8 |
| and waste services" | ||
| Construction | ||
| "Transport | ||
| postal | ||
| and warehousing" | ||
| "Services excluding transport | ||
| postal | ||
| and warehousing" | ||
| Total industry |
Annual emissions fall
In the year ended March 2025, New Zealand industries and households emitted 77,656 kilotonnes of GHGs. This is the lowest annual total for a March year since our time series began in March 2010, and it is 1.5 percent lower than the 78,823 kilotonnes of the previous March year.
The most significant contributors to this fall were manufacturing, down 13.5 percent (1,221 kilotonnes), and agriculture, forestry, and fishing, down 1.5 percent (649 kilotonnes).
Electricity, gas, water, and waste services increased by 15.9 percent (977 kilotonnes) - the only industry to record an increase in the year ended March 2025. Despite this increase, these emissions remain 28.8 percent (2,879 kilotonnes) lower than the annual peak of 9,985 kilotonnes in the year ended March 2013.
