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Environment · East Asia & Pacific · High income
New Zealand: environment and emissions
CO₂ per person is 6.01 t (2024), 42nd of 203 in the world and 11th of 37 in East Asia & Pacific. GHG per person is 14.71 t (2024), 19th of 203 in the world and 6th of 37 in East Asia & Pacific. GHG emissions is 77.8 Mt (2024), 60th of 203 in the world and 13th of 37 in East Asia & Pacific.
CO₂ per person
New ZealandEast Asia & PacificHigh incomeWorld
GHG per person
New ZealandEast Asia & PacificHigh incomeWorld
15 indicators
Environment: New Zealand in detail
Latest reported value, world rank and rank within East Asia & Pacific; values around 2000, 2010, 2020; group and world columns are World Bank aggregates.
| Indicator | Latest | World rank | In region | ~2000 | ~2010 | ~2020 | 10-year change | Region | Income group | World | Since 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CO₂ per personCO₂ emissions per capita, tonnes | 6.01 t2024 | 42/203 | 11/37 | 8.55 t | 7.69 t | 6.84 t | −23%since 2014 | 7.35 t | 9.75 t | 4.69 t | |
| GHG per personGreenhouse gas emissions per person, t CO₂e | 14.71 t2024 | 19/203 | 6/37 | 21.17 t | 19.49 t | 16.51 t | −24%since 2014 | 9.06 t | 12.50 t | 6.36 t | |
| GHG emissionsTotal greenhouse gas emissions excl. land use, Mt CO₂e | 77.8 Mt2024 | 60/203 | 13/37 | 81.7 Mt | 84.8 Mt | 83.8 Mt | −11%since 2014 | 21,426.8 Mt | 17,426.5 Mt | 53,206.4 Mt | |
| CO₂ emissionsCO₂ emissions, total excl. land use, Mt | 31.8 Mt2024 | 70/203 | 13/37 | 33.0 Mt | 33.4 Mt | 34.7 Mt | −9.9%since 2014 | 17,388.8 Mt | 13,596.6 Mt | 39,632.7 Mt | |
| MethaneMethane emissions, Mt CO₂e | 34.4 Mt2024 | 48/203 | 11/37 | 37.9 Mt | 39.3 Mt | 36.7 Mt | −13%since 2014 | 2,697.1 Mt | 2,534.1 Mt | 9,536.5 Mt | |
| Renewable energyRenewable energy, % of final energy consumption | 28.9%2021 | 82/212 | 8/37 | 26.4% | 29.4% | 28.7% | −1.4 ppsince 2011 | 14.8% | 12.8% | 19.7% | |
| Renewable powerRenewable electricity, % of output | 81.5%2021 | 26/206 | 1/35 | 71.9% | 73.4% | 80.3% | +5.2 ppsince 2011 | 25.9% | 26.7% | 27.8% | |
| PM2.5 exposurePM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure, µg/m³ | 6.9 µg/m³2023 | 177/200 | 20/33 | 8.3 µg/m³ | 7.0 µg/m³ | 7.1 µg/m³ | +2.9%since 2013 | 27.3 µg/m³ | 13.0 µg/m³ | 32.9 µg/m³ | |
| Forest coverForest area, % of land area | 38.9%2024 | 83/214 | 25/35 | 37.4% | 37.4% | 37.8% | +1.5 ppsince 2014 | 27.3% | 36.2% | 31.1% | |
| FarmlandAgricultural land, % of land area | 36.8%2024 | 107/210 | 11/36 | 46.9% | 43.3% | 38.6% | −5.4 ppsince 2014 | 46.8% | 28.2% | 36.9% | |
| Arable landArable land, % of land area | 2.0%2024 | 170/206 | 22/34 | 1.5% | 1.9% | 2.0% | −0.3 ppsince 2014 | 8.7% | 9.0% | 10.7% | |
| Protected areasTerrestrial and marine protected areas, % of territory | 30.6%2025 | 28/213 | 8/36 | · | · | 30.6% | +0.1 ppsince 2015 | 22.0% | 22.2% | 17.0% | |
| Water withdrawalsFreshwater withdrawals, % of internal resources | 3.0%2022 | 121/177 | 13/20 | 1.0% | 1.6% | 3.0% | +0.7 ppsince 2012 | 12.1% | 6.4% | 9.0% | |
| Freshwater per personRenewable internal freshwater per person, m³ | 64,349 m³2022 | 9/183 | 2/23 | 84,766 m³ | 75,160 m³ | 64,467 m³ | −13%since 2012 | 4,306 m³ | 10,983 m³ | 5,393 m³ | |
| Cereal yieldCereal yield, kg per hectare | 9,102 kg/ha2024 | 8/179 | 2/24 | 6,316 kg/ha | 7,387 kg/ha | 9,039 kg/ha | +13%since 2014 | 5,430 kg/ha | 5,394 kg/ha | 4,229 kg/ha |
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)“·” — no value reported within two years of that date. World rank counts countries with a recent value.
Better than ten years ago
- CO₂ per person−23%6.01 t in 2024
- GHG per person−24%14.71 t in 2024
- GHG emissions−11%77.8 Mt in 2024
- CO₂ emissions−9.9%31.8 Mt in 2024
Worse than ten years ago
- Renewable energy−1.4 pp28.9% in 2021
- PM2.5 exposure+2.9%6.9 µg/m³ in 2023
- Water withdrawals+0.7 pp3.0% in 2022
- Freshwater per person−13%64,349 m³ in 2022
Only indicators where higher or lower is clearly better are rated (for example, unemployment down is better, life expectancy up is better).
neighbours
New Zealand and its neighbours
Countries sharing a land border with New Zealand. Latest values since 2005; the highest in each row is marked.
| Indicator | New Zealand | Australia |
|---|---|---|
| CO₂ per person | 6.01 t2024 | 14.10 t2024 |
| GHG per person | 14.71 t2024 | 21.75 t2024 |
| GHG emissions | 77.8 Mt2024 | 591.5 Mt2024 |
| CO₂ emissions | 31.8 Mt2024 | 383.4 Mt2024 |
| Methane | 34.4 Mt2024 | 144.6 Mt2024 |
| Renewable energy | 28.9%2021 | 12.3%2021 |
| Renewable power | 81.5%2021 | 26.7%2021 |
| PM2.5 exposure | 6.9 µg/m³2023 | 6.4 µg/m³2023 |
| Forest cover | 38.9%2024 | 17.4%2024 |