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Cumulative CO₂ emissions from land-use change in New Zealand

New Zealand: Cumulative CO₂ emissions from land-use change was 3.12 billion tonnes in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
3.12 billion tonnes
Change on year
up 0.4%
World rank
52nd
of 197 countries
All-time high
3.12 billion tonnes
in 2024
All-time low
11.99 million tonnes
in 1850
Years of data
175
1850–2024

Cumulative CO₂ emissions from land-use change in New Zealand, 1850–2024

01.0B2.0B3.0B185019372024

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

Analysis

New Zealand recorded 3.12 billion tonnes for cumulative co₂ emissions from land-use change in 2024. That is the highest value across all 175 years on record.

That represents a change of up 0.4% on the previous year and up 5.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, cumulative co₂ emissions from land-use change in New Zealand peaked at 3.12 billion tonnes in 2024 and was at its lowest, 11.99 million tonnes, in 1850.

New Zealand ranks 52nd of 197 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.

Cumulative CO₂ emissions from land-use change in New Zealand, year by year

Year tonnes Change
1850 11.99 million tonnes —
1851 22.93 million tonnes +91.2%
1852 33.12 million tonnes +44.4%
1853 43.04 million tonnes +30.0%
1854 52.26 million tonnes +21.4%
1855 61.37 million tonnes +17.4%
1856 70.39 million tonnes +14.7%
1857 79.55 million tonnes +13.0%
1858 87.25 million tonnes +9.7%
1859 95.14 million tonnes +9.0%
1860 103.33 million tonnes +8.6%
1861 111.71 million tonnes +8.1%
1862 120.10 million tonnes +7.5%
1863 128.13 million tonnes +6.7%
1864 136.28 million tonnes +6.4%
1865 144.71 million tonnes +6.2%
1866 153.21 million tonnes +5.9%
1867 161.53 million tonnes +5.4%
1868 171.02 million tonnes +5.9%
1869 179.88 million tonnes +5.2%
1870 188.61 million tonnes +4.9%
1871 197.44 million tonnes +4.7%
1872 205.55 million tonnes +4.1%
1873 215.77 million tonnes +5.0%
1874 225.47 million tonnes +4.5%
1875 235.09 million tonnes +4.3%
1876 244.16 million tonnes +3.9%
1877 253.95 million tonnes +4.0%
1878 262.56 million tonnes +3.4%
1879 271.47 million tonnes +3.4%
1880 285.35 million tonnes +5.1%
1881 300.02 million tonnes +5.1%
1882 316.28 million tonnes +5.4%
1883 331.43 million tonnes +4.8%
1884 347.28 million tonnes +4.8%
1885 363.60 million tonnes +4.7%
1886 379.71 million tonnes +4.4%
1887 397.59 million tonnes +4.7%
1888 415.14 million tonnes +4.4%
1889 432.80 million tonnes +4.3%
1890 453.93 million tonnes +4.9%
1891 476.60 million tonnes +5.0%
1892 497.97 million tonnes +4.5%
1893 521.23 million tonnes +4.7%
1894 545.38 million tonnes +4.6%
1895 570.11 million tonnes +4.5%
1896 595.79 million tonnes +4.5%
1897 622.23 million tonnes +4.4%
1898 648.95 million tonnes +4.3%
1899 676.69 million tonnes +4.3%
1900 700.91 million tonnes +3.6%
1901 724.69 million tonnes +3.4%
1902 745.16 million tonnes +2.8%
1903 765.88 million tonnes +2.8%
1904 787.37 million tonnes +2.8%
1905 806.96 million tonnes +2.5%
1906 826.23 million tonnes +2.4%
1907 844.93 million tonnes +2.3%
1908 864.77 million tonnes +2.3%
1909 882.93 million tonnes +2.1%
1910 904.29 million tonnes +2.4%
1911 925.42 million tonnes +2.3%
1912 947.25 million tonnes +2.4%
1913 967.89 million tonnes +2.2%
1914 988.45 million tonnes +2.1%
1915 1.01 billion tonnes +2.1%
1916 1.03 billion tonnes +2.1%
1917 1.05 billion tonnes +2.1%
1918 1.07 billion tonnes +2.1%
1919 1.10 billion tonnes +2.0%
1920 1.12 billion tonnes +2.0%
1921 1.14 billion tonnes +1.9%
1922 1.16 billion tonnes +1.9%
1923 1.18 billion tonnes +1.9%
1924 1.21 billion tonnes +1.9%
1925 1.23 billion tonnes +1.7%
1926 1.25 billion tonnes +1.5%
1927 1.27 billion tonnes +1.6%
1928 1.29 billion tonnes +1.9%
1929 1.31 billion tonnes +1.4%
1930 1.33 billion tonnes +1.5%
1931 1.35 billion tonnes +1.5%
1932 1.37 billion tonnes +1.3%
1933 1.39 billion tonnes +1.4%
1934 1.40 billion tonnes +1.3%
1935 1.42 billion tonnes +1.3%
1936 1.44 billion tonnes +1.5%
1937 1.46 billion tonnes +1.4%
1938 1.48 billion tonnes +1.3%
1939 1.50 billion tonnes +1.2%
1940 1.52 billion tonnes +1.2%
1941 1.54 billion tonnes +1.2%
1942 1.56 billion tonnes +1.2%
1943 1.57 billion tonnes +1.2%
1944 1.59 billion tonnes +1.1%
1945 1.61 billion tonnes +1.1%
1946 1.63 billion tonnes +1.1%
1947 1.64 billion tonnes +1.0%
1948 1.66 billion tonnes +1.1%
1949 1.68 billion tonnes +1.1%
1950 1.70 billion tonnes +1.3%
1951 1.73 billion tonnes +1.5%
1952 1.76 billion tonnes +1.7%
1953 1.79 billion tonnes +1.6%
1954 1.82 billion tonnes +1.7%
1955 1.85 billion tonnes +1.8%
1956 1.88 billion tonnes +1.7%
1957 1.91 billion tonnes +1.7%
1958 1.94 billion tonnes +1.7%
1959 1.97 billion tonnes +1.6%
1960 1.99 billion tonnes +0.8%
1961 2.01 billion tonnes +0.9%
1962 2.02 billion tonnes +0.8%
1963 2.04 billion tonnes +0.8%
1964 2.05 billion tonnes +0.6%
1965 2.07 billion tonnes +0.7%
1966 2.08 billion tonnes +0.6%
1967 2.09 billion tonnes +0.7%
1968 2.11 billion tonnes +0.6%
1969 2.12 billion tonnes +0.6%
1970 2.13 billion tonnes +0.5%
1971 2.16 billion tonnes +1.6%
1972 2.18 billion tonnes +0.8%
1973 2.20 billion tonnes +0.8%
1974 2.24 billion tonnes +1.8%
1975 2.28 billion tonnes +1.8%
1976 2.30 billion tonnes +1.0%
1977 2.33 billion tonnes +1.4%
1978 2.35 billion tonnes +0.9%
1979 2.38 billion tonnes +1.2%
1980 2.44 billion tonnes +2.4%
1981 2.46 billion tonnes +1.0%
1982 2.48 billion tonnes +0.8%
1983 2.50 billion tonnes +0.7%
1984 2.52 billion tonnes +0.7%
1985 2.53 billion tonnes +0.6%
1986 2.55 billion tonnes +0.6%
1987 2.56 billion tonnes +0.5%
1988 2.57 billion tonnes +0.4%
1989 2.58 billion tonnes +0.4%
1990 2.59 billion tonnes +0.4%
1991 2.60 billion tonnes +0.4%
1992 2.61 billion tonnes +0.4%
1993 2.62 billion tonnes +0.4%
1994 2.64 billion tonnes +0.5%
1995 2.65 billion tonnes +0.3%
1996 2.66 billion tonnes +0.3%
1997 2.67 billion tonnes +0.4%
1998 2.68 billion tonnes +0.5%
1999 2.70 billion tonnes +0.6%
2000 2.71 billion tonnes +0.6%
2001 2.74 billion tonnes +0.9%
2002 2.75 billion tonnes +0.5%
2003 2.77 billion tonnes +0.7%
2004 2.78 billion tonnes +0.5%
2005 2.79 billion tonnes +0.3%
2006 2.81 billion tonnes +0.7%
2007 2.82 billion tonnes +0.5%
2008 2.85 billion tonnes +0.8%
2009 2.86 billion tonnes +0.5%
2010 2.88 billion tonnes +0.5%
2011 2.89 billion tonnes +0.6%
2012 2.91 billion tonnes +0.6%
2013 2.93 billion tonnes +0.7%
2014 2.95 billion tonnes +0.6%
2015 2.96 billion tonnes +0.6%
2016 2.98 billion tonnes +0.6%
2017 3.00 billion tonnes +0.6%
2018 3.02 billion tonnes +0.6%
2019 3.04 billion tonnes +0.6%
2020 3.06 billion tonnes +0.7%
2021 3.08 billion tonnes +0.6%
2022 3.09 billion tonnes +0.6%
2023 3.11 billion tonnes +0.5%
2024 3.12 billion tonnes +0.4%

New Zealand compared with similar countries

  • New Zealand's 3.12 billion tonnes is above the median for high income countries, which is 323.46 million tonnes, 9.7× the median. (64 countries reporting)
  • New Zealand's 3.12 billion tonnes is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1.03 billion tonnes, 3.0× the median. (30 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Cumulative CO₂ emissions from land-use change in New Zealand changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.

YearChange FromTo
1851 +91.2% 11.99 million tonnes 22.93 million tonnes
1852 +44.4% 22.93 million tonnes 33.12 million tonnes
1853 +30.0% 33.12 million tonnes 43.04 million tonnes

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1850s 55.71 million tonnes 11.99 million tonnes 95.14 million tonnes 10
1860s 140.99 million tonnes 103.33 million tonnes 179.88 million tonnes 10
1870s 230.01 million tonnes 188.61 million tonnes 271.47 million tonnes 10
1880s 356.92 million tonnes 285.35 million tonnes 432.80 million tonnes 10
1890s 560.89 million tonnes 453.93 million tonnes 676.69 million tonnes 10
1900s 794.98 million tonnes 700.91 million tonnes 882.93 million tonnes 10
1910s 999.75 million tonnes 904.29 million tonnes 1.10 billion tonnes 10
1920s 1.21 billion tonnes 1.12 billion tonnes 1.31 billion tonnes 10
1930s 1.41 billion tonnes 1.33 billion tonnes 1.50 billion tonnes 10
1940s 1.60 billion tonnes 1.52 billion tonnes 1.68 billion tonnes 10
1950s 1.83 billion tonnes 1.70 billion tonnes 1.97 billion tonnes 10
1960s 2.06 billion tonnes 1.99 billion tonnes 2.12 billion tonnes 10
1970s 2.25 billion tonnes 2.13 billion tonnes 2.38 billion tonnes 10
1980s 2.52 billion tonnes 2.44 billion tonnes 2.58 billion tonnes 10
1990s 2.64 billion tonnes 2.59 billion tonnes 2.70 billion tonnes 10
2000s 2.79 billion tonnes 2.71 billion tonnes 2.86 billion tonnes 10
2010s 2.96 billion tonnes 2.88 billion tonnes 3.04 billion tonnes 10
2020s 3.09 billion tonnes 3.06 billion tonnes 3.12 billion tonnes 5

Countries ranked near New Zealand

  1. 49 Laos 3.31 billion tonnes compare
  2. 50 United Kingdom 3.28 billion tonnes compare
  3. 51 Romania 3.18 billion tonnes compare
  4. 53 Uganda 2.96 billion tonnes compare
  5. 54 Congo 2.89 billion tonnes compare
  6. 55 Sri Lanka 2.82 billion tonnes compare

See the full ranking of 197 places →

More climate change data for New Zealand

All data for New Zealand →

Frequently asked questions

What is cumulative co₂ emissions from land-use change in New Zealand?
Cumulative co₂ emissions from land-use change in New Zealand was 3.12 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 from land-use change recorded in New Zealand?
The highest recorded value was 3.12 billion tonnes in 2024.
What is the lowest cumulative co₂ emissions from land-use change recorded in New Zealand?
The lowest recorded value was 11.99 million tonnes in 1850.
How does New Zealand rank for cumulative co₂ emissions from land-use change?
New Zealand ranks 52nd out of 197 countries with data for 2024.
Is cumulative co₂ emissions from land-use change rising or falling in New Zealand?
Over the last ten years it is up 5.9%. 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 from land-use change. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Cumulative CO₂ emissions from land-use change in New Zealand. Statizoid, drawing on Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 25 September 2026, from https://climate.statizoid.com/stat/cumulative-co2-land-use/new-zealand/

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About this data

Indicator
Cumulative CO₂ emissions from land-use change
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
197 places, 34,475 data points, 1850–2024
Last refreshed

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