New Zealand Records Increase in Greenhouse Gas Emissions
(MENAFN) New Zealand recorded a 0.9% increase in greenhouse gas emissions in the March 2025 quarter, primarily fueled by a sharp uptick in the energy sector, according to Stats NZ on Tuesday.
The national statistics agency noted a 176-kilotonne rise in emissions over the quarter. Industrial emissions increased by 1%, while household emissions saw a slight decline of 0.2%. Over the same period, the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) expanded by 0.8%.
The electricity, gas, water, and waste services sector experienced a dramatic 67.8% spike in emissions—the steepest rise since 2012—driven largely by an increased reliance on coal due to reduced hydroelectric supply. Despite this emissions surge, GDP in the sector showed no movement, Stats NZ reported.
According to a report from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, hydroelectric output plunged by 15.1%—the lowest March quarter generation since 1987. The shortfall in renewable energy supply led to higher coal consumption, significantly boosting sector emissions.
"A key factor of fluctuation in New Zealand's total quarterly emissions is the variation in energy sources used for electricity generation," said Stats NZ environment statistics spokesperson Tehseen Islam, underlining the dependence on weather-sensitive renewable energy sources.
Meanwhile, emissions declined across multiple sectors. Manufacturing dropped 6.8%, transport, postal, and warehousing fell 2.2%, and construction decreased by 5.7%—all despite GDP growth in each of those industries, Islam added.
On an annual basis, New Zealand’s total emissions fell by 1.5% to 77,656 kilotonnes in the year ending March 2025—the lowest March-year figure since 2010. This was largely attributed to reduced manufacturing output. The energy sector stood out as the only one to register an annual increase, rising 15.9%, though still 29% below its peak in 2013, Stats NZ said.
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