Greenhouse gas emissions decreased in 11 out of 16 regions in New Zealand in the year ended December 2022, according to figures released by Stats NZ today.
Waikato had the largest decrease in total greenhouse gas emissions, between 2021 and 2022, down 2,069 kilotonnes (13 percent), followed by Northland, down 540 kilotonnes (13 percent), and Manawatū-Whanganui, down 271 kilotonnes (4.8 percent).
| Region | Primary industries | Goods-producing industries | Service industries | Households |
| Northland | -40 | -506 | -7 | 12 |
| Auckland | -55 | -118 | 211 | -23 |
| Waikato | -293 | -1834 | -5 | 63 |
| Bay of Plenty | 61 | -35 | -31 | 2 |
| Gisborne | -124 | -2 | 1 | -6 |
| Hawke's Bay | 54 | -12 | -6 | -3 |
| Taranaki | 272 | -84 | -4 | -14 |
| Manawatū-Whanganui | -243 | -18 | 10 | -21 |
| Wellington | 13 | -9 | -7 | -9 |
| Tasman | -14 | -8 | 0 | 2 |
| Nelson | 10 | -1 | 3 | -2 |
| Marlborough | -38 | -2 | 3 | 1 |
| West Coast | 111 | -8 | 0 | -2 |
| Canterbury | -12 | -56 | 32 | 7 |
| Otago | -227 | -1 | 33 | -3 |
| Southland | 10 | -41 | 0 | -1 |
Between 2021 and 2022, emissions in the Waikato region from electricity, gas, water, and waste services decreased 1,760 kilotonnes (39 percent), while emissions from agriculture, forestry, and fishing fell by 277 kilotonnes (3.5 percent).
"The fall in emissions in the Waikato region was largely due to a decrease in the amount of coal used for electricity generation. The reduction in industrial emissions from Waikato accounted for just over 70 percent of the total decrease in industrial emissions in 2022," environmental-economic accounts manager Stephen Oakley said.
In 2022, Northland's emissions decrease was driven by manufacturing, down 498 kilotonnes (33 percent), largely due to the cessation of oil refining activity in the region. Emissions from agriculture, forestry, and fishing were also down 38 kilotonnes (2.0 percent).
The regions with the largest increases in emissions were:
- Taranaki, up 171 kilotonnes (3.4 percent)
- West Coast, up 100 kilotonnes (9.8 percent)
- Hawke's Bay, up 33 kilotonnes (1.0 percent).
Taranaki's increase in emissions was driven by mining, up 201 kilotonnes (33 percent), due to increased oil and gas production. This follows a decrease in the previous year, which was driven by a large decrease in emissions from the region's electricity, gas, water, and waste services industries.
Household emissions decrease in most regions from 2021 to 2022
In 2022, household emissions accounted for approximately 12 percent of New Zealand's total emissions, with the remainder coming from industry. Between 2021 and 2022, household emissions decreased in 10 out of 16 regions, primarily due to decreases in household transport emissions. However, total household emissions across all regions decreased by only 2.7 kilotonnes (0.03 percent).
Waikato had the largest increase in household emissions, up 63 kilotonnes (5.5 percent), largely due to an increase in household transport, which made up 91 percent of its household emissions in 2022.
The largest decreases in household emissions came from:
- Auckland, down 23 kilotonnes (0.9 percent)
- Manawatū-Whanganui, down 21 kilotonnes (4.5 percent)
- Taranaki, down 14 kilotonnes (6.6 percent).
| Region | Households |
| Waikato | 63 |
| Northland | 12 |
| Canterbury | 7 |
| Bay of Plenty | 2 |
| Tasman | 2 |
| Marlborough | 1 |
| Southland | -1 |
| Nelson | -2 |
| West Coast | -2 |
| Hawke's Bay | -3 |
| Otago | -3 |
| Gisborne | -6 |
| Wellington | -9 |
| Taranaki | -14 |
| Manawatū-Whanganui | -21 |
| Auckland | -23 |
Regional household emissions statistics are affected by fuel purchasing patterns, vehicle fleet composition, and changes in regional population.
"In 2022, other factors that may have influenced changes to household emissions include shifts in everyday behaviour resulting from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the impact of fuel and public transport subsidies, and evolving trends in working from home," Oakley said.
How are my region's emissions tracking? is an interactive tool that provides a visualisation of emissions by region.
