Our responsibility
We are a small country but our carbon footprint per capita is still significant.
Our greenhouse gas emissions are growing rapidly. In 2006 we produced 26 per cent more than in 1990.
Per head of population New Zealanders emit nearly twice as much greenhouse gases as the British and almost five times as much as the Chinese.
The sector with greatest growth in emissions (45 per cent) is the energy sector (mainly CO2 from transport and electricity generation).
Approximately half of our total greenhouse gas emissions are produced by agriculture (methane and nitrous oxide from farm animals).
Please note that for greenhouse gas inventory reporting, total emissions are reported from the five emitting sectors (energy, agriculture, industrial processes, solvents, waste). This combined total is known as gross emissions.
When the "Land use, land use change and forestry" sector (LULUCF) is included the total emissions are known as net emissions.
For purposes of accuracy, all references to emissions totals should be prefaced by either "gross" or "net".
Last updated: 2 July 2009
