Greenhouse gas inventory released
New Zealand's Greenhouse Gas Inventory 1990–2016 was released this month.
The inventory is the official annual estimate of all human-generated greenhouse gas emissions and removals that have occurred in New Zealand since 1990.
Key findings of the inventory
- New Zealand’s gross emissions have increased 19.6 per cent since 1990.
- Methane from dairy cattle digestive systems and carbon dioxide from road transportation have contributed the most to this increase.
- Between 2015 and 2016, gross emissions decreased by 2.4 per cent mainly from a decrease in the use of thermal fuels (coal and gas) and a decline in the number of sheep.
- In 2016 the agriculture and energy sectors were the two largest contributors to New Zealand’s gross emissions, at 49.2 per cent and 39.8 per cent respectively.
- The Land Use, Land-Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) sector offsets nearly one third of New Zealand’s gross emissions
- Net emissions have increased by 54.2 per cent since 1990 because of more trees being cut down and an increase in gross emissions.
- In 2016, approximately 5099 hectares of new forest was planted and 4945 hectares deforested.