Detailed New Zealand greenhouse gas emissions data for 1990 and 2015 for Energy and Agriculture sectors. Data are sourced from the 1990–2015 New Zealand Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory. Includes sub–sub–sector data. Emissions are in kt and have not been standardised by conversion to CO2 equivalents. Greenhouse gases (GHGs) absorb heat from Earth’s surface, warming the atmosphere and changing our climate. New Zealand’s share of GHG emissions is very small, but our gross emissions per person are high. Emissions mainly come from combustion of fossil fuels that emit carbon dioxide (CO2), and agriculture which emits methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O). Carbon dioxide remains in the atmosphere much longer than other major GHGs. Because of this, today’s global CO2 emissions will continue to influence atmospheric CO2 concentrations for a very long time. Methane and N2O trap heat better than CO2 but leave the atmosphere faster. Reducing emissions of CH4 and N2O will decrease concentrations in the atmosphere more quickly.Greenhouse gases (GHGs) absorb heat from Earth’s surface, warming the atmosphere and changing our climate. New Zealand’s share of GHG emissions is very small, but our gross emissions per person are high. Emissions mainly come from combustion of fossil fuels that emit carbon dioxide (CO2), and agriculture which emits methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O). Carbon dioxide remains in the atmosphere much longer than other major GHGs. Because of this, today’s global CO2 emissions will continue to influence atmospheric CO2 concentrations for a very long time. Methane and N2O trap heat better than CO2 but leave the atmosphere faster.
More information on this dataset and how it relates to our Environmental reporting indicators and topics can be found in the attached data quality pdf.
