Greenhouse gas emissions in New Zealand
New Zealand: Greenhouse gas emissions was 81.92 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
81.92 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents
Change on year
down 0.4%
World rank
68th
of 199 countries
All-time high
136.19 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents
in 1980
All-time low
16.61 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents
in 1858
Years of data
175
1850–2024
Greenhouse gas emissions in New Zealand, 1850–2024
Source: Jones et al. (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes of CO₂ equivalents.
Analysis
The most recent figure for greenhouse gas emissions in New Zealand is 81.92 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.4% on the previous year and down 9.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, greenhouse gas emissions in New Zealand peaked at 136.19 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents in 1980 and was at its lowest, 16.61 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents, in 1858.
New Zealand ranks 68th of 199 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 175 years of available data.
Greenhouse gas emissions in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1850 | 24.20 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | — |
| 1851 | 20.66 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -14.6% |
| 1852 | 19.42 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -6.0% |
| 1853 | 19.06 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -1.8% |
| 1854 | 18.36 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -3.7% |
| 1855 | 18.15 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -1.1% |
| 1856 | 17.99 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -0.9% |
| 1857 | 18.08 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.5% |
| 1858 | 16.61 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -8.2% |
| 1859 | 16.77 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.0% |
| 1860 | 17.11 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +2.0% |
| 1861 | 17.48 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +2.2% |
| 1862 | 17.57 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.5% |
| 1863 | 17.28 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -1.6% |
| 1864 | 17.48 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.1% |
| 1865 | 17.99 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +2.9% |
| 1866 | 18.29 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.7% |
| 1867 | 18.34 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.3% |
| 1868 | 19.74 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +7.6% |
| 1869 | 19.34 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -2.0% |
| 1870 | 19.44 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.5% |
| 1871 | 19.88 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +2.3% |
| 1872 | 19.44 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -2.2% |
| 1873 | 21.84 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +12.3% |
| 1874 | 21.61 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -1.0% |
| 1875 | 21.82 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.0% |
| 1876 | 21.55 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -1.3% |
| 1877 | 22.52 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +4.5% |
| 1878 | 21.94 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -2.6% |
| 1879 | 22.59 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +2.9% |
| 1880 | 28.01 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +24.0% |
| 1881 | 29.95 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +6.9% |
| 1882 | 31.94 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +6.6% |
| 1883 | 31.07 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -2.7% |
| 1884 | 32.01 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +3.0% |
| 1885 | 32.66 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +2.0% |
| 1886 | 32.63 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -0.1% |
| 1887 | 34.57 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +6.0% |
| 1888 | 34.52 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -0.2% |
| 1889 | 34.72 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.6% |
| 1890 | 38.47 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +10.8% |
| 1891 | 40.13 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +4.3% |
| 1892 | 38.68 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -3.6% |
| 1893 | 40.46 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +4.6% |
| 1894 | 41.31 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +2.1% |
| 1895 | 41.79 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.1% |
| 1896 | 42.83 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +2.5% |
| 1897 | 43.68 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +2.0% |
| 1898 | 44.13 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.0% |
| 1899 | 45.37 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +2.8% |
| 1900 | 42.67 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -5.9% |
| 1901 | 42.46 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -0.5% |
| 1902 | 39.75 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -6.4% |
| 1903 | 40.76 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +2.5% |
| 1904 | 42.39 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +4.0% |
| 1905 | 41.07 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -3.1% |
| 1906 | 41.54 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.1% |
| 1907 | 41.88 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.8% |
| 1908 | 43.40 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +3.6% |
| 1909 | 42.36 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -2.4% |
| 1910 | 46.82 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +10.6% |
| 1911 | 47.03 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.4% |
| 1912 | 48.33 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +2.8% |
| 1913 | 46.80 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -3.2% |
| 1914 | 47.90 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +2.4% |
| 1915 | 48.69 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.6% |
| 1916 | 49.58 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.8% |
| 1917 | 49.81 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.5% |
| 1918 | 49.94 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.3% |
| 1919 | 49.44 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -1.0% |
| 1920 | 49.02 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -0.9% |
| 1921 | 48.95 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -0.1% |
| 1922 | 49.55 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.2% |
| 1923 | 51.12 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +3.2% |
| 1924 | 51.90 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.5% |
| 1925 | 50.24 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -3.2% |
| 1926 | 48.87 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -2.7% |
| 1927 | 50.54 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +3.4% |
| 1928 | 55.37 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +9.5% |
| 1929 | 50.03 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -9.6% |
| 1930 | 50.70 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.3% |
| 1931 | 51.34 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.3% |
| 1932 | 48.29 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -5.9% |
| 1933 | 49.94 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +3.4% |
| 1934 | 50.14 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.4% |
| 1935 | 50.47 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.6% |
| 1936 | 54.03 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +7.1% |
| 1937 | 52.77 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -2.3% |
| 1938 | 52.56 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -0.4% |
| 1939 | 51.56 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -1.9% |
| 1940 | 52.82 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +2.4% |
| 1941 | 53.65 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.6% |
| 1942 | 55.36 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +3.2% |
| 1943 | 56.63 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +2.3% |
| 1944 | 56.15 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -0.8% |
| 1945 | 56.86 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.3% |
| 1946 | 59.44 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +4.5% |
| 1947 | 58.36 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -1.8% |
| 1948 | 60.84 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +4.2% |
| 1949 | 61.68 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.4% |
| 1950 | 70.24 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +13.9% |
| 1951 | 76.90 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +9.5% |
| 1952 | 83.88 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +9.1% |
| 1953 | 83.86 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -0.0% |
| 1954 | 87.41 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +4.2% |
| 1955 | 90.65 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +3.7% |
| 1956 | 90.99 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.4% |
| 1957 | 92.79 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +2.0% |
| 1958 | 95.07 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +2.5% |
| 1959 | 95.98 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.0% |
| 1960 | 82.63 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -13.9% |
| 1961 | 80.04 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -3.1% |
| 1962 | 78.49 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -1.9% |
| 1963 | 78.56 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.1% |
| 1964 | 73.56 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -6.4% |
| 1965 | 74.89 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.8% |
| 1966 | 75.90 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.4% |
| 1967 | 78.34 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +3.2% |
| 1968 | 77.17 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -1.5% |
| 1969 | 78.14 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.3% |
| 1970 | 77.85 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -0.4% |
| 1971 | 104.18 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +33.8% |
| 1972 | 93.55 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -10.2% |
| 1973 | 89.51 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -4.3% |
| 1974 | 116.77 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +30.5% |
| 1975 | 125.35 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +7.4% |
| 1976 | 104.15 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -16.9% |
| 1977 | 109.53 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +5.2% |
| 1978 | 97.59 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -10.9% |
| 1979 | 98.46 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.9% |
| 1980 | 136.19 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +38.3% |
| 1981 | 104.84 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -23.0% |
| 1982 | 92.80 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -11.5% |
| 1983 | 88.07 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -5.1% |
| 1984 | 88.51 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.5% |
| 1985 | 88.43 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -0.1% |
| 1986 | 91.15 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +3.1% |
| 1987 | 87.29 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -4.2% |
| 1988 | 86.70 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -0.7% |
| 1989 | 84.71 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -2.3% |
| 1990 | 83.07 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -1.9% |
| 1991 | 83.31 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.3% |
| 1992 | 84.47 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.4% |
| 1993 | 82.47 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -2.4% |
| 1994 | 85.47 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +3.6% |
| 1995 | 83.53 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -2.3% |
| 1996 | 82.99 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -0.7% |
| 1997 | 86.88 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +4.7% |
| 1998 | 87.73 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +1.0% |
| 1999 | 92.46 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +5.4% |
| 2000 | 94.33 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +2.0% |
| 2001 | 113.84 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +20.7% |
| 2002 | 103.56 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -9.0% |
| 2003 | 100.02 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -3.4% |
| 2004 | 91.45 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -8.6% |
| 2005 | 87.99 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -3.8% |
| 2006 | 97.23 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +10.5% |
| 2007 | 90.76 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -6.7% |
| 2008 | 99.05 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +9.1% |
| 2009 | 89.14 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -10.0% |
| 2010 | 86.62 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -2.8% |
| 2011 | 89.17 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +2.9% |
| 2012 | 90.01 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.9% |
| 2013 | 91.84 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +2.0% |
| 2014 | 90.76 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -1.2% |
| 2015 | 89.10 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -1.8% |
| 2016 | 88.44 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -0.7% |
| 2017 | 91.00 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +2.9% |
| 2018 | 91.42 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 91.23 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 91.36 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | +0.1% |
| 2021 | 89.26 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -2.3% |
| 2022 | 84.07 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -5.8% |
| 2023 | 82.22 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -2.2% |
| 2024 | 81.92 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | -0.4% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 81.92 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents is above the median for high income countries, which is 47.51 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents, 1.7× the median. (67 countries reporting)
- New Zealand's 81.92 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 61.18 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents, 1.3× the median. (31 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Greenhouse gas emissions 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.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | +38.3% | 98.46 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 136.19 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents |
| 1971 | +33.8% | 77.85 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 104.18 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents |
| 1974 | +30.5% | 89.51 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 116.77 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1850s | 18.93 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 16.61 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 24.20 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 1860s | 18.06 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 17.11 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 19.74 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 1870s | 21.26 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 19.44 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 22.59 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 1880s | 32.21 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 28.01 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 34.72 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 1890s | 41.69 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 38.47 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 45.37 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 1900s | 41.83 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 39.75 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 43.40 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 1910s | 48.43 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 46.80 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 49.94 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 1920s | 50.56 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 48.87 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 55.37 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 1930s | 51.18 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 48.29 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 54.03 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 1940s | 57.18 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 52.82 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 61.68 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 1950s | 86.78 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 70.24 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 95.98 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 1960s | 77.77 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 73.56 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 82.63 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 1970s | 101.69 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 77.85 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 125.35 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 1980s | 94.87 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 84.71 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 136.19 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 1990s | 85.24 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 82.47 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 92.46 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 2000s | 96.74 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 87.99 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 113.84 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 2010s | 89.96 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 86.62 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 91.84 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 10 |
| 2020s | 85.77 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 81.92 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 91.36 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents | 5 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
- 65 North Korea 89.80 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents compare
- 66 Finland 87.95 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents compare
- 67 Czechia 84.45 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents compare
- 69 Guinea 78.53 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents compare
- 70 Central African Republic 68.66 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents compare
- 71 Austria 68.25 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents 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 greenhouse gas emissions in New Zealand?
- Greenhouse gas emissions in New Zealand was 81.92 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents in 2024, according to Jones et al. (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest greenhouse gas emissions recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 136.19 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents in 1980.
- What is the lowest greenhouse gas emissions recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.61 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents in 1858.
- How does New Zealand rank for greenhouse gas emissions?
- New Zealand ranks 68th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is greenhouse gas emissions rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from Jones et al. (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Greenhouse gas emissions. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 175 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Greenhouse gas emissions are measured in tonnes of carbon dioxide-equivalents over a 100-year timescale.