emissions of air pollutants, per square kilometre in New Zealand
New Zealand: emissions of air pollutants, per square kilometre was 1.79 tonnes per square kilometre in 2022. ▲ Rising
Latest (2022)
1.79 tonnes per square kilometre
Change on year
down 4.4%
World rank
133rd
of 207 countries
All-time high
2.79 tonnes per square kilometre
in 2007
All-time low
1.4 tonnes per square kilometre
in 1962
Years of data
62
1961–2022
emissions of air pollutants, per square kilometre in New Zealand, 1961–2022
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in tonnes per square kilometre.
Analysis
The most recent figure for emissions of air pollutants, per square kilometre in New Zealand is 1.79 tonnes per square kilometre, measured in 2022.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.4% on the previous year and down 32.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, emissions of air pollutants, per square kilometre in New Zealand peaked at 2.79 tonnes per square kilometre in 2007 and was at its lowest, 1.4 tonnes per square kilometre, in 1962.
That places New Zealand 133rd out of 207 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 62 years of available data.
emissions of air pollutants, per square kilometre in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | tonnes per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 1.42 tonnes per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 1.4 tonnes per square kilometre | -1.9% |
| 1963 | 1.44 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.2% |
| 1964 | 1.53 tonnes per square kilometre | +6.3% |
| 1965 | 1.61 tonnes per square kilometre | +5.3% |
| 1966 | 1.67 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.8% |
| 1967 | 1.63 tonnes per square kilometre | -2.4% |
| 1968 | 1.69 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.7% |
| 1969 | 1.71 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 1970 | 1.77 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 1971 | 1.73 tonnes per square kilometre | -2.2% |
| 1972 | 1.82 tonnes per square kilometre | +5.4% |
| 1973 | 1.78 tonnes per square kilometre | -2.4% |
| 1974 | 1.88 tonnes per square kilometre | +5.7% |
| 1975 | 1.97 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.7% |
| 1976 | 1.97 tonnes per square kilometre | -0.0% |
| 1977 | 1.98 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 1978 | 1.94 tonnes per square kilometre | -2.3% |
| 1979 | 1.91 tonnes per square kilometre | -1.3% |
| 1980 | 1.95 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.3% |
| 1981 | 1.95 tonnes per square kilometre | -0.2% |
| 1982 | 1.97 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 1983 | 1.97 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 1984 | 1.99 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 1985 | 1.93 tonnes per square kilometre | -2.7% |
| 1986 | 1.95 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 1987 | 1.98 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 1988 | 2.05 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.8% |
| 1989 | 2.11 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 1990 | 2.27 tonnes per square kilometre | +7.5% |
| 1991 | 2.25 tonnes per square kilometre | -1.0% |
| 1992 | 2.28 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 1993 | 2.28 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 1994 | 2.38 tonnes per square kilometre | +4.5% |
| 1995 | 2.42 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 1996 | 2.41 tonnes per square kilometre | -0.4% |
| 1997 | 2.47 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 1998 | 2.5 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 1999 | 2.54 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 2000 | 2.54 tonnes per square kilometre | -0.0% |
| 2001 | 2.55 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 2.63 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 2003 | 2.7 tonnes per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 2004 | 2.79 tonnes per square kilometre | +3.5% |
| 2005 | 2.75 tonnes per square kilometre | -1.4% |
| 2006 | 2.76 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 2.79 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 2008 | 2.73 tonnes per square kilometre | -2.3% |
| 2009 | 2.67 tonnes per square kilometre | -2.3% |
| 2010 | 2.71 tonnes per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 2011 | 2.69 tonnes per square kilometre | -0.6% |
| 2012 | 2.63 tonnes per square kilometre | -2.3% |
| 2013 | 2.57 tonnes per square kilometre | -2.4% |
| 2014 | 2.5 tonnes per square kilometre | -2.6% |
| 2015 | 2.49 tonnes per square kilometre | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 2.45 tonnes per square kilometre | -1.4% |
| 2017 | 2.47 tonnes per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 2.38 tonnes per square kilometre | -3.6% |
| 2019 | 2.32 tonnes per square kilometre | -2.7% |
| 2020 | 2.02 tonnes per square kilometre | -12.7% |
| 2021 | 1.87 tonnes per square kilometre | -7.5% |
| 2022 | 1.79 tonnes per square kilometre | -4.4% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 1.79 tonnes per square kilometre is below the median for high income countries, which is 3.78 tonnes per square kilometre, 47% of the median. (78 countries reporting)
- New Zealand's 1.79 tonnes per square kilometre is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 3.29 tonnes per square kilometre, 54% of the median. (34 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.57 tonnes per square kilometre | 1.4 tonnes per square kilometre | 1.71 tonnes per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 1.87 tonnes per square kilometre | 1.73 tonnes per square kilometre | 1.98 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.99 tonnes per square kilometre | 1.93 tonnes per square kilometre | 2.11 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.38 tonnes per square kilometre | 2.25 tonnes per square kilometre | 2.54 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.69 tonnes per square kilometre | 2.54 tonnes per square kilometre | 2.79 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.52 tonnes per square kilometre | 2.32 tonnes per square kilometre | 2.71 tonnes per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.89 tonnes per square kilometre | 1.79 tonnes per square kilometre | 2.02 tonnes per square kilometre | 3 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
- 130 Senegal 1.92 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 131 Somalia 1.85 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 132 North Macedonia 1.84 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 134 Gabon 1.78 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 135 Laos 1.76 tonnes per square kilometre compare
- 136 Turkmenistan 1.73 tonnes per square kilometre 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 emissions of air pollutants, per square kilometre in New Zealand?
- Emissions of air pollutants, per square kilometre in New Zealand was 1.79 tonnes per square kilometre in 2022, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest emissions of air pollutants, per square kilometre recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 2.79 tonnes per square kilometre in 2007.
- What is the lowest emissions of air pollutants, per square kilometre recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.4 tonnes per square kilometre in 1962.
- How does New Zealand rank for emissions of air pollutants, per square kilometre?
- New Zealand ranks 133rd out of 207 countries with data for 2022.
- Is emissions of air pollutants, per square kilometre rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is down 32.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of emissions of air pollutants, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 62 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
emissions of air pollutants divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
emissions of air pollutants ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- emissions of air pollutants Hoesly et al. (2024) – Community Emissions Data System (CEDS) – with major processing by Our World in Data
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
emissions of air pollutants divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.