Consumption-based carbon intensity in New Zealand
New Zealand: Consumption-based carbon intensity was 0.2122 kilograms per international-$ in 2022. ▼ Falling
Latest (2022)
0.2122 kilograms per international-$
Change on year
down 4.8%
World rank
75th
of 119 countries
All-time high
0.3783 kilograms per international-$
in 1992
All-time low
0.2122 kilograms per international-$
in 2022
Years of data
33
1990–2022
Consumption-based carbon intensity in New Zealand, 1990–2022
Source: Global Carbon Budget (2025); Bolt and van Zanden – Maddison Project Database 2023 – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in kilograms per international-$.
Analysis
The most recent figure for consumption-based carbon intensity in New Zealand is 0.2122 kilograms per international-$, measured in 2022. That is the lowest value across all 33 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.8% on the previous year and down 24.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, consumption-based carbon intensity in New Zealand peaked at 0.3783 kilograms per international-$ in 1992 and was at its lowest, 0.2122 kilograms per international-$, in 2022.
New Zealand ranks 75th of 119 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 33 years of available data.
Consumption-based carbon intensity in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | kilograms per international-$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 0.3647 kilograms per international-$ | — |
| 1991 | 0.3641 kilograms per international-$ | -0.1% |
| 1992 | 0.3783 kilograms per international-$ | +3.9% |
| 1993 | 0.3598 kilograms per international-$ | -4.9% |
| 1994 | 0.3464 kilograms per international-$ | -3.7% |
| 1995 | 0.3455 kilograms per international-$ | -0.3% |
| 1996 | 0.343 kilograms per international-$ | -0.7% |
| 1997 | 0.355 kilograms per international-$ | +3.5% |
| 1998 | 0.3252 kilograms per international-$ | -8.4% |
| 1999 | 0.3399 kilograms per international-$ | +4.5% |
| 2000 | 0.3143 kilograms per international-$ | -7.5% |
| 2001 | 0.3203 kilograms per international-$ | +1.9% |
| 2002 | 0.3103 kilograms per international-$ | -3.1% |
| 2003 | 0.3383 kilograms per international-$ | +9.0% |
| 2004 | 0.3329 kilograms per international-$ | -1.6% |
| 2005 | 0.3461 kilograms per international-$ | +4.0% |
| 2006 | 0.3254 kilograms per international-$ | -6.0% |
| 2007 | 0.3169 kilograms per international-$ | -2.6% |
| 2008 | 0.3179 kilograms per international-$ | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 0.273 kilograms per international-$ | -14.1% |
| 2010 | 0.2739 kilograms per international-$ | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 0.2746 kilograms per international-$ | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 0.2805 kilograms per international-$ | +2.2% |
| 2013 | 0.2718 kilograms per international-$ | -3.1% |
| 2014 | 0.2651 kilograms per international-$ | -2.5% |
| 2015 | 0.2501 kilograms per international-$ | -5.7% |
| 2016 | 0.2413 kilograms per international-$ | -3.5% |
| 2017 | 0.2335 kilograms per international-$ | -3.2% |
| 2018 | 0.2291 kilograms per international-$ | -1.9% |
| 2019 | 0.2245 kilograms per international-$ | -2.0% |
| 2020 | 0.2233 kilograms per international-$ | -0.5% |
| 2021 | 0.2229 kilograms per international-$ | -0.2% |
| 2022 | 0.2122 kilograms per international-$ | -4.8% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 0.2122 kilograms per international-$ is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.2507 kilograms per international-$, 85% of the median. (51 countries reporting)
- New Zealand's 0.2122 kilograms per international-$ is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.2843 kilograms per international-$, 75% of the median. (15 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.3522 kilograms per international-$ | 0.3252 kilograms per international-$ | 0.3783 kilograms per international-$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.3195 kilograms per international-$ | 0.273 kilograms per international-$ | 0.3461 kilograms per international-$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.2544 kilograms per international-$ | 0.2245 kilograms per international-$ | 0.2805 kilograms per international-$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.2195 kilograms per international-$ | 0.2122 kilograms per international-$ | 0.2233 kilograms per international-$ | 3 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
- 72 Germany 0.2146 kilograms per international-$ compare
- 73 Dominican Republic 0.2138 kilograms per international-$ compare
- 74 Nicaragua 0.2136 kilograms per international-$ compare
- 76 Paraguay 0.2101 kilograms per international-$ compare
- 77 Austria 0.2085 kilograms per international-$ compare
- 78 Chile 0.2061 kilograms per international-$ compare
More climate change data for New Zealand
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 113.13 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 46,323 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 11,983 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 34,340 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 45.22 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 1,226 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 694.4 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 691.2 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 3.2 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 2.61 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is consumption-based carbon intensity in New Zealand?
- Consumption-based carbon intensity in New Zealand was 0.2122 kilograms per international-$ in 2022, according to Global Carbon Budget (2025); Bolt and van Zanden – Maddison Project Database 2023 – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest consumption-based carbon intensity recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 0.3783 kilograms per international-$ in 1992.
- What is the lowest consumption-based carbon intensity recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.2122 kilograms per international-$ in 2022.
- How does New Zealand rank for consumption-based carbon intensity?
- New Zealand ranks 75th out of 119 countries with data for 2022.
- Is consumption-based carbon intensity rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is down 24.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from Global Carbon Budget (2025); Bolt and van Zanden – Maddison Project Database 2023 – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Consumption-based carbon intensity. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 33 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Annual consumption-based emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂), measured in kilograms per dollar of GDP (2011 international-$).