Consumption-based CO₂ emissions in New Zealand
New Zealand: Consumption-based CO₂ emissions was 41.40 million tonnes in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
41.40 million tonnes
Change on year
down 2.8%
World rank
62nd
of 120 countries
All-time high
43.99 million tonnes
in 2005
All-time low
27.16 million tonnes
in 1990
Years of data
34
1990–2023
Consumption-based CO₂ emissions in New Zealand, 1990–2023
Source: Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
In 2023, consumption-based co₂ emissions in New Zealand stood at 41.40 million tonnes.
That represents a change of down 2.8% on the previous year and up 1.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, consumption-based co₂ emissions in New Zealand peaked at 43.99 million tonnes in 2005 and was at its lowest, 27.16 million tonnes, in 1990.
New Zealand ranks 62nd of 120 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.
Consumption-based CO₂ emissions in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 27.16 million tonnes | — |
| 1991 | 27.30 million tonnes | +0.5% |
| 1992 | 28.61 million tonnes | +4.8% |
| 1993 | 28.59 million tonnes | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 29.41 million tonnes | +2.9% |
| 1995 | 30.65 million tonnes | +4.2% |
| 1996 | 31.64 million tonnes | +3.2% |
| 1997 | 33.80 million tonnes | +6.8% |
| 1998 | 31.28 million tonnes | -7.5% |
| 1999 | 34.20 million tonnes | +9.4% |
| 2000 | 32.99 million tonnes | -3.6% |
| 2001 | 34.34 million tonnes | +4.1% |
| 2002 | 34.99 million tonnes | +1.9% |
| 2003 | 39.99 million tonnes | +14.3% |
| 2004 | 41.19 million tonnes | +3.0% |
| 2005 | 43.99 million tonnes | +6.8% |
| 2006 | 42.57 million tonnes | -3.2% |
| 2007 | 43.17 million tonnes | +1.4% |
| 2008 | 43.21 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 37.27 million tonnes | -13.7% |
| 2010 | 38.21 million tonnes | +2.5% |
| 2011 | 39.13 million tonnes | +2.4% |
| 2012 | 41.03 million tonnes | +4.9% |
| 2013 | 40.64 million tonnes | -1.0% |
| 2014 | 40.94 million tonnes | +0.8% |
| 2015 | 40.21 million tonnes | -1.8% |
| 2016 | 40.40 million tonnes | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 40.68 million tonnes | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 41.57 million tonnes | +2.2% |
| 2019 | 42.04 million tonnes | +1.1% |
| 2020 | 41.31 million tonnes | -1.8% |
| 2021 | 43.76 million tonnes | +5.9% |
| 2022 | 42.57 million tonnes | -2.7% |
| 2023 | 41.40 million tonnes | -2.8% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 41.40 million tonnes is below the median for high income countries, which is 77.36 million tonnes, 54% of the median. (52 countries reporting)
- New Zealand's 41.40 million tonnes is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 229.69 million tonnes, 18% of the median. (16 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 30.26 million tonnes | 27.16 million tonnes | 34.20 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 39.37 million tonnes | 32.99 million tonnes | 43.99 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 40.49 million tonnes | 38.21 million tonnes | 42.04 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 42.26 million tonnes | 41.31 million tonnes | 43.76 million tonnes | 4 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
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 co₂ emissions in New Zealand?
- Consumption-based co₂ emissions in New Zealand was 41.40 million tonnes in 2023, according to Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest consumption-based co₂ emissions recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 43.99 million tonnes in 2005.
- What is the lowest consumption-based co₂ emissions recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 27.16 million tonnes in 1990.
- How does New Zealand rank for consumption-based co₂ emissions?
- New Zealand ranks 62nd out of 120 countries with data for 2023.
- Is consumption-based co₂ emissions rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Consumption-based CO₂ emissions. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 34 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 tonnes.