Greenhouse gas emissions statistics include the emissions by gas type for both industries and households, the emissions intensity (emissions in relation to GDP/economic output) for industries, and tourism-related emissions.
Industry and household emissions estimates use the latest New Zealand Greenhouse Gas Inventory data from the Ministry for the Environment and show updated production-based gross emissions for the years ended December 2007 through to 2024, on a System of Environmental-Economic Accounts (SEEA) basis.
Data for 116 industries from 2007 to 2024 is available as downloadable CSVs under 'Download data'.
Key facts
Year ended December 2024 compared with year ended December 2023
- Gross greenhouse gas emissions from New Zealand's industries and households were 78,123 kilotonnes (kt) of carbon dioxide equivalent. This is a slight decrease of 0.03 percent (25 kt) compared with 2023.
- Household emissions decreased by 0.8 percent (67 kt) due mainly to a decrease in transport emissions.
- Industry-related emissions increased 0.1 percent (42 kt) due mainly to an increase in service industries emissions.
- The largest changes to industry emissions were:
- electricity, gas, water, and waste services, up 15.6 percent (960 kt), driven by electricity and gas supply
- transport, postal, and warehousing, up 3.1 percent (191 kt), driven by rail, water, air, and other transport
- agriculture, down 0.4 percent (186 kt), driven mainly by dairy cattle farming
- manufacturing, down 10.0 percent (907 kt), driven mainly by petroleum, chemical, polymer, and rubber product manufacturing.
- Emissions from industries were 89.4 percent of the total, with the remaining 10.6 percent from households.
- Emissions attributable to tourism in 2024 accounted for 5.4 percent of total emissions.
| Industry | Kilotonnes |
| "Electricity | 960 |
| gas | 191 |
| water | 117 |
| and waste services" | 7 |
| "Transport | -7 |
| postal | -11 |
| and warehousing" | -15 |
| Mining | -18 |
| Health care and social assistance | -19 |
| Accommodation and food services | -32 |
| Education and training | -40 |
| "Arts | -67 |
| recreation | -78 |
| and other services" | -106 |
| Retail trade | -907 |
| Government and defence | |
| "Telecommunications | |
| financial | |
| rental | |
| professional | |
| and administrative services" | |
| Wholesale trade | |
| Households | |
| Construction | |
| "Agriculture | |
| forestry | |
| and fishing" | |
| Manufacturing |
Comparing 2024 with 2007 (years ended December)
Total greenhouse gas emissions from industry and households were 9.2 percent (7,948 kt) lower than their 2007 level, which is the start of the time series.
| Year ended December | Industries | Households | Total (industries and households) |
| 2007 | 1000 | 1000 | 1000 |
| 2008 | 1003 | 963 | 1000 |
| 2009 | 960 | 968 | 962 |
| 2010 | 967 | 967 | 968 |
| 2011 | 963 | 967 | 965 |
| 2012 | 995 | 961 | 993 |
| 2013 | 984 | 955 | 982 |
| 2014 | 990 | 976 | 989 |
| 2015 | 987 | 1026 | 991 |
| 2016 | 959 | 1049 | 968 |
| 2017 | 974 | 1089 | 986 |
| 2018 | 981 | 1081 | 992 |
| 2019 | 995 | 1081 | 1005 |
| 2020 | 948 | 1011 | 955 |
| 2021 | 948 | 1032 | 957 |
| 2022 | 910 | 994 | 919 |
| 2023 | 896 | 1017 | 909 |
| 2024 | 897 | 1009 | 909 |
- Industry-related emissions were down 10.3 percent (8,021 kt).
- Household emissions were up 0.9 percent (74 kt). The number of households in New Zealand grew 28.0 percent over the 2007-2024 period.
- Industries with the largest reduction in emissions were electricity, gas, water, and waste services, down 32.6 percent (3,454 kt), driven by electricity and gas supply; manufacturing, down 19.9 percent (2,024 kt); and agriculture, forestry, and fishing, down 4.5 percent (2,003 kt).
- The construction industry had the largest increase in emissions, up 90.9 percent (873 kt).
| Industry and households | Kilotonnes |
| Construction | 873 |
| Government and defence | 109 |
| Households | 74 |
| Wholesale trade | 69 |
| "Arts | 22 |
| recreation | 12 |
| and other services" | -55 |
| Health care and social assistance | -64 |
| Accommodation and food services | -157 |
| Education and training | -182 |
| Retail trade | -311 |
| "Telecommunications | -857 |
| financial | -2003 |
| rental | -2024 |
| professional | -3454 |
| and administrative services" | |
| "Transport | |
| postal | |
| and warehousing" | |
| Mining | |
| "Agriculture | |
| forestry | |
| and fishing" | |
| Manufacturing | |
| "Electricity | |
| gas | |
| water | |
| and waste services" |
Emissions intensity
An industry's emissions intensity is the ratio of greenhouse gas emissions to value added (sometimes referred to as an industry's contribution to GDP). It can tell us how many emissions are produced per dollar added to the economy by the industry. If value added increases at a greater rate than emissions, emissions per unit of value added is less and the emissions intensity decreases.
Emission intensity ratios are a standardised measure for each industry and therefore can be used to compare across industries.
Comparing 2024 with 2023 (years ended December)
Between 2023 and 2024, emissions intensity for the total of all industries increased 0.4 percent. The largest changes to emissions intensity were:
- mining, up 22.3 percent
- electricity, gas, water, and waste services, up 18.0 percent
- education and training, down 16.5 percent.
| Industry | Percent |
| Mining | 22.3 |
| "Electricity | 18 |
| gas | 2.7 |
| water | 2.3 |
| and waste services" | -1 |
| "Transport | -3.4 |
| postal | -4.4 |
| and warehousing" | -4.5 |
| Construction | -5.4 |
| Health care and social assistance | -6.4 |
| Government and defence | -7.7 |
| Accommodation and food services | -8 |
| "Agriculture | -8.6 |
| forestry | -16.5 |
| and fishing" | |
| Retail trade | |
| Wholesale trade | |
| "Telecommunications | |
| financial | |
| rental | |
| professional | |
| and administrative services" | |
| "Arts | |
| recreation | |
| and other services" | |
| Manufacturing | |
| Education and training |
Gross emissions and GDP contributions in 2024 by broad industry group
Primary industries contributed the most greenhouse gas emissions (56.3 percent) to the 'all industry and households' total but had the smallest contribution to nominal gross domestic product (GDP) (5.9 percent). This group includes agriculture, forestry, fishing, and mining.
Goods-producing industries contributed the second most to both emissions and GDP, at 21.9 percent and 17.0 percent, respectively. This group includes manufacturing industries; electricity, gas, water, and waste services; and construction.
Service industries, as a broad industry group, contributed the least greenhouse gas emissions (11.2 percent) to the 'all industry and households' total but contributed the most to nominal GDP (69.6 percent). This group includes wholesale trade; retail trade; transport, postal, and warehousing; government and defence; and many others.
Changes in emissions by gas type
Gross emissions decreased 25 kt between 2023 and 2024 with two gases contributing to the decrease - methane and fluorinated gases (expressed in carbon dioxide equivalent form).
Methane emissions fell 228 kt (0.6 percent). The fall was driven by agriculture, down 201 kt, mainly due to dairy cattle farming, down 162 kt, and poultry, deer, and other livestock farming, down 49 kt.
Fluorinated gas emissions fell 62 kt (5.2 percent), driven by electricity, gas, water, and waste services, down 28 kt, mainly due to water, sewerage, drainage, and waste services, down 25 kt.
Nitrous oxide emissions rose 92 kt (1.4 percent). The increase was driven by agriculture, up 61 kt, mainly due to sheep, beef cattle, and grain farming, up 36 kt. Also contributing to the increase was health care and social assistance, up 28 kt.
Carbon dioxide emissions rose 172 kt (0.5 percent). The rise was led by electricity, gas, water, and waste services, up 993 kt, mainly due to electricity and gas supply, up 996 kt. The largest offsetting decrease came from petroleum, chemical, polymer, and rubber product manufacturing, up 592 kt.
| Gas type | Primary industries | Goods-producing industries | Service industries | Households |
| Carbon dioxide | 94.9 | 70.9 | 68 | -61.6 |
| Fluorinated gases | -0.1 | -16.7 | -40.3 | -4.7 |
| Methane | -158.3 | -69.9 | -0.7 | 1 |
| Nitrous oxide | 74.7 | -8.4 | 28.1 | -2 |
See 'Greenhouse gas emissions (industry and household): Year ended 2024 - NZSIOC - CSV' under Download data for more industry detail by gas type.
Tourism-related emissions rise in 2024
Estimates of tourism-related greenhouse gas emissions show the amount of emissions produced that can be attributed to tourist activity by New Zealand residents, whether domestically or offshore. Tourism includes transport, accommodation, and food and beverage services related to tourism activities, as well as other industries whose outputs tourists may purchase, for example, manufacturing. Tourism-related emissions also include emissions from households using vehicles for tourist activity.
In 2024, emissions from tourism-related activities increased 454 kt to 4,236 kt, on an SEEA basis. This increase was mainly driven by air and space transport, up 401 kt (14.6 percent).
| Industry and households | kilotonnes |
| Total | 453 |
| Air and space transport | 401 |
| "Road | 26 |
| rail | 25 |
| and water transport" | 17 |
| "Other transport | 5 |
| transport support | 1 |
| and travel and tour services" | 0 |
| Accommodation | 0 |
| Other | 0 |
| Education and training | -1 |
| Arts and recreation services | -1 |
| Rental and hiring services | -6 |
| Wholesale trade | -14 |
| Food and beverage services | |
| Retail trade | |
| Manufacturing | |
| Domestic tourism (households) |
When compared with total greenhouse gas emissions, tourism-related emissions accounted for 5.4 percent of total emissions produced. This has increased from 4.8 percent in 2023 but is still lower than 2015 to 2019 when tourism-related emissions ranged between 5.7 percent and 6.2 percent of total emissions.
Emissions from tourism, tourism's contribution to GDP, and employment from tourism all increased in 2024, as the tourism sector continued to recover from COVID-19-related travel restrictions of previous years.
| Year | Direct tourism value added as a percentage of total industry contribution to GDP | Number of people directly employed in tourism as a percentage of total employment | Tourism emissions as a percentage of total emissions (SEEA basis) |
| 2007 | 5.7 | 8.5 | 5.7 |
| 2008 | 5.2 | 8.5 | 5.7 |
| 2009 | 5.2 | 8.2 | 5.6 |
| 2010 | 5.1 | 8 | 5.5 |
| 2011 | 5.1 | 7.6 | 5.3 |
| 2012 | 5.1 | 7.5 | 5 |
| 2013 | 5 | 7.3 | 5.1 |
| 2014 | 5.6 | 7.8 | 5.3 |
| 2015 | 6.2 | 8.3 | 5.7 |
| 2016 | 5.8 | 8 | 6.1 |
| 2017 | 5.8 | 8.3 | 6.2 |
| 2018 | 5.6 | 8 | 6.2 |
| 2019 | 5.4 | 8 | 6 |
| 2020 | 3.3 | 5.4 | 3.6 |
| 2021 | 3.1 | 4.7 | 3.1 |
| 2022 | 4.1 | 5.6 | 3.3 |
| 2023 | 4.5 | 6.5 | 4.8 |
| 2024 | 4.6 | 6.8 | 5.4 |
The top tourism-related emissions contributors in 2024 were:
- air and space transport, 74.2 percent (up from 72.5 percent in 2023)
- domestic tourism (households), 13.0 percent (down from 14.9 percent in 2023)
- road, rail, and water transport, 4.4 percent (up from 4.2 percent in 2023).
Key industry contributions to emissions and average changes since 2007
The table below summarises key industry contributions to total emissions in 2024, the change in industry emissions when compared with 2007 levels, and the average annual growth rates implied by those changes for key greenhouse gases.
Download data has more industry details in the Excel and CSV files.
Industry (ANZSIC06) and households |
2024 |
2007-2024 |
|||||
Contribution to total CO2-e |
Absolute change in CO2-e |
Key gases |
|||||
CO2-e |
CO2 |
CH4 |
|||||
% of total |
Kt |
Average annual % change |
|||||
Primary industries |
56.3 |
-2,860 |
-0.4 |
-1.1 |
-0.4 |
||
Agriculture, forestry, and fishing |
54.7 |
-2,003 |
-0.3 |
-1.4 |
-0.3 |
||
Agriculture |
53.7 |
-1,929 |
-0.3 |
-1.4 |
-0.3 |
||
Forestry and logging |
0.7 |
162 |
2.1 |
2.6 |
1.3 |
||
Fishing, aquaculture and agriculture, |
0.3 |
-236 |
-4.4 |
-4.4 |
-5.9 |
||
Mining |
1.6 |
-857 |
-3.0 |
-0.4 |
-8.4 |
||
Goods-producing industries |
21.9 |
-4,605 |
-1.4 |
-1.6 |
-1.5 |
||
Manufacturing |
10.4 |
-2,024 |
-1.3 |
-1.3 |
-0.6 |
||
Electricity, gas, water, and waste services |
9.1 |
-3,454 |
-2.3 |
-3.2 |
-1.5 |
||
Construction |
2.3 |
873 |
3.9 |
3.9 |
-1.6 |
||
Service industries |
11.2 |
-557 |
-0.4 |
-0.3 |
-5.4 |
||
Transport, postal, and warehousing |
8.2 |
-311 |
-0.3 |
-0.3 |
-6.2 |
||
Services excluding transport, postal, |
3.1 |
-246 |
-0.6 |
-0.6 |
-5.0 |
||
Total all industries |
89.4 |
-8,021 |
-0.6 |
-1.1 |
-0.5 |
||
Households |
10.6 |
74 |
0.1 |
0.1 |
-0.1 |
||
Total |
-7,948 |
-0.6 |
-0.9 |
-0.5 |
|||
Note: Contribution to emissions is based on the December 2024 year. Source: Stats NZ |
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Definitions and metadata
Greenhouse gas emissions (industry and household): Year ended 2024 - DataInfo+ gives information on improvements and revisions made in this release.
Environmental-economic accounts: Sources and methods (third edition) presents the data sources and methods used for each of Stats NZ's environmental-economic accounts, including Greenhouse gas emissions (industry and household): Year ended 2024.
Technical enquiries
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Next release
Greenhouse gas emissions (industry and household): March 2026 quarter will be released on 22 July 2026.
