What is cumulative co₂ emissions in New Zealand?

Cumulative co₂ emissions in New Zealand was 2.01 billion tonnes in 2024, according to Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.

What is the highest cumulative co₂ emissions recorded in New Zealand?

The highest recorded value was 2.01 billion tonnes in 2024.

What is the lowest cumulative co₂ emissions recorded in New Zealand?

The lowest recorded value was 0 tonnes in 1750.

How does New Zealand rank for cumulative co₂ emissions?

New Zealand ranks 69th out of 215 countries with data for 2024.

Is cumulative co₂ emissions rising or falling in New Zealand?

Over the last ten years it is up 20.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.

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 Cumulative CO₂ emissions. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Cumulative CO₂ emissions in New Zealand

Name: Cumulative CO₂ emissions in New Zealand
Creator: Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

New Zealand: Cumulative CO₂ emissions was 2.01 billion tonnes in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)

2.01 billion tonnes

Change on year

up 1.6%

World rank

69th

of 215 countries

All-time high

2.01 billion tonnes

in 2024

All-time low

0 tonnes

in 1750

Years of data

275

1750–2024

Cumulative CO₂ emissions in New Zealand, 1750–2024

Source: Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.

Analysis

In 2024, cumulative co₂ emissions in New Zealand stood at 2.01 billion tonnes. That is the highest value across all 275 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.6% on the previous year and up 20.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, cumulative co₂ emissions in New Zealand peaked at 2.01 billion tonnes in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0 tonnes, in 1750.

New Zealand ranks 69th of 215 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1750s	0 tonnes	0 tonnes	0 tonnes	10
1760s	0 tonnes	0 tonnes	0 tonnes	10
1770s	0 tonnes	0 tonnes	0 tonnes	10
1780s	0 tonnes	0 tonnes	0 tonnes	10
1790s	0 tonnes	0 tonnes	0 tonnes	10
1800s	0 tonnes	0 tonnes	0 tonnes	10
1810s	0 tonnes	0 tonnes	0 tonnes	10
1820s	0 tonnes	0 tonnes	0 tonnes	10
1830s	0 tonnes	0 tonnes	0 tonnes	10
1840s	0 tonnes	0 tonnes	0 tonnes	10
1850s	0 tonnes	0 tonnes	0 tonnes	10
1860s	0 tonnes	0 tonnes	0 tonnes	10
1870s	121,645 tonnes	0 tonnes	861,040 tonnes	10
1880s	5.94 million tonnes	1.52 million tonnes	11.29 million tonnes	10
1890s	20.00 million tonnes	12.71 million tonnes	28.32 million tonnes	10
1900s	45.74 million tonnes	30.76 million tonnes	63.05 million tonnes	10
1910s	89.18 million tonnes	67.95 million tonnes	109.98 million tonnes	10
1920s	131.15 million tonnes	113.54 million tonnes	150.89 million tonnes	10
1930s	173.63 million tonnes	155.75 million tonnes	192.48 million tonnes	10
1940s	221.17 million tonnes	197.24 million tonnes	245.88 million tonnes	10
1950s	295.42 million tonnes	254.45 million tonnes	339.44 million tonnes	10
1960s	407.56 million tonnes	350.97 million tonnes	468.27 million tonnes	10
1970s	561.13 million tonnes	482.45 million tonnes	643.00 million tonnes	10
1980s	749.20 million tonnes	660.49 million tonnes	852.52 million tonnes	10
1990s	1.00 billion tonnes	878.01 million tonnes	1.14 billion tonnes	10
2000s	1.33 billion tonnes	1.17 billion tonnes	1.49 billion tonnes	10
2010s	1.69 billion tonnes	1.53 billion tonnes	1.85 billion tonnes	10
2020s	1.95 billion tonnes	1.88 billion tonnes	2.01 billion tonnes	5

Countries ranked near New Zealand

66 Peru 2.16 billion tonnes compare
67 Syria 2.06 billion tonnes compare
68 Morocco 2.02 billion tonnes compare
70 Bangladesh 2.00 billion tonnes compare
71 Cuba 1.81 billion tonnes compare
72 Hong Kong 1.75 billion tonnes compare

See the full ranking of 215 places →

More climate change data for New Zealand

Share of global CO₂ emissions and population 0.1% (2100)
Population growth 0.7% (2025)
Population, total 5.32 million (2025)
Urban population growth 0.7% (2025)
Urban population 4.47 million (2025)
Urban population 84.0% (2025)
CO₂ emissions per capita vs. GDP per capita 6.23 tonnes per person (2024)
CO₂ emissions per capita 6.23 tonnes per person (2024)
CO₂ emissions per capita vs. share of electricity generation from renewables 6.23 tonnes per person (2024)
Share of global CO₂ emissions vs. share of population 0.1% (2024)

All data for New Zealand →

Frequently asked questions

What is cumulative co₂ emissions in New Zealand?: Cumulative co₂ emissions in New Zealand was 2.01 billion tonnes in 2024, according to Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest cumulative co₂ emissions recorded in New Zealand?: The highest recorded value was 2.01 billion tonnes in 2024.
What is the lowest cumulative co₂ emissions recorded in New Zealand?: The lowest recorded value was 0 tonnes in 1750.
How does New Zealand rank for cumulative co₂ emissions?: New Zealand ranks 69th out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
Is cumulative co₂ emissions rising or falling in New Zealand?: Over the last ten years it is up 20.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
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 Cumulative CO₂ emissions. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 275 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator: Cumulative CO₂ emissions
Unit: tonnes
Source: Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 215 places, 23,408 data points, 1750–2024
Last refreshed: 07 August 2026

Total cumulative emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂), excluding land-use change, since the first year of available data, measured in tonnes.