Waikato had the largest decrease in total greenhouse gas emissions between 2022 and 2023, down 772 kilotonnes (5.3 percent), followed by Bay of Plenty down 358 kilotonnes (10.2 percent), and Northland down 348 kilotonnes (9.1 percent).

Between 2022 and 2023, emissions in the Waikato region from electricity, gas, water, and waste services decreased 541 kilotonnes (20 percent), while emissions from agriculture, forestry, and fishing fell by 211 kilotonnes (2.5 percent).

“The fall in emissions in the Waikato region was largely due to a decrease in the amount of natural gas used for electricity generation. This decrease in emissions follows a 13 percent reduction in Waikato regional emissions the previous year, which was driven by a reduction in the use of coal for electricity generation,” environmental-economic accounts manager Stephen Oakley said.

In 2023, Bay of Plenty’s emissions decreased 358 kilotonnes (10.2 percent), driven by agriculture, forestry, and fishing.

Northland’s emissions decrease was primarily driven by manufacturing, down 254 kilotonnes (27 percent), due to the cessation of oil refining activity in the region.

Emissions in Canterbury and Taranaki increased in 2023

Canterbury had the largest increase in emissions, up 404 kilotonnes (3.3 percent), due to agriculture, forestry, and fishing.

Taranaki’s regional emissions were up 200 kilotonnes (3.7 percent), due to a large increase in emissions from the region’s electricity, gas, water, and waste services industry.

Emissions in Nelson increased by just 1 kilotonne during the same period.

Household emissions increased in most regions from 2022 to 2023

In 2023, household emissions accounted for 11 percent of New Zealand’s total emissions, with the remainder coming from industry. Total regional household emissions increased 105 kilotonnes (1.3 percent) from the previous year.

Between 2022 and 2023, household emissions increased in 11 out of 16 regions, primarily due to increases in household transport emissions.

Canterbury had the largest increase in household emissions, up 40 kilotonnes (3.9 percent), largely due to an increase in household transport, which made up 91 percent of its household emissions in 2023. The population in Canterbury grew 2.0 percent, contributing to the growth in household emissions in the region.

The Auckland region had the biggest growth in population in 2023, but household emissions remained relatively unchanged, down 3 kilotonnes (0.1 percent), due to a decrease of 10 kilotonnes (0.4 percent) in household transport emissions. This resulted in a slight decrease in household emissions per capita in the region.

At the total regional level, household transport emissions increased 1.1 percent (83 kilotonnes).