New Zealand industry and household emissions fall 2.9% in June quarter
Greenhouse gas emissions from New Zealand’s industries and households fell by 2.9% in the June 2026 quarter, a seasonally adjusted reduction of 550 kilotonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent compared with the March quarter. The largest falls came from manufacturing and households, while emissions from electricity, gas, water and waste services rose and partly offset the decline.
The latest quarterly account records emissions generated by industries and households, rather than a complete measure of every greenhouse gas emitted within the country. It presents timely estimates that allow emissions to be examined alongside economic activity. The reported quarter-on-quarter figures are seasonally adjusted, and the comparison is with the three months ended March 2026.
Manufacturing and household transport lead quarterly falls
Manufacturing emissions decreased by 6.4%, or 126 kilotonnes, during the quarter. The reduction included a fall in petroleum, chemical, polymer and rubber product manufacturing. Food, beverage and tobacco product manufacturing also recorded lower emissions. These sector changes contributed to the wider decline in industry emissions.
Household emissions fell by 5.3%, equivalent to 106 kilotonnes. Lower transport emissions accounted for most of that household reduction: household transport emissions were down 5.7%, or 101 kilotonnes. Emissions from household heating and cooling and from other household sources also edged lower, but by smaller amounts.
The official account says the fall in road transport emissions was consistent with reduced fuel retail sales volumes after fuel prices rose during the quarter. That is an association described in the release, not evidence that higher prices alone caused the emissions change. Other factors may also influence fuel use and the resulting emissions.
Electricity-related emissions moved in the opposite direction
Emissions from electricity, gas, water and waste services rose by 8.4%, or 96 kilotonnes, between the March and June quarters. The increase was driven by electricity generation and gas supply, whose emissions rose by 22.2%, or 102 kilotonnes. This sector’s quarterly increase partly counterbalanced reductions in manufacturing, households and other parts of the economy.
Not every industry moved in the same direction. Agriculture, forestry and fishing emissions were down 0.7%, while emissions from transport, postal and warehousing fell by 3.0%. Services excluding transport, postal and warehousing recorded an increase of 9.4%. Taken together, emissions from all industries declined by 2.8%, or 472 kilotonnes, while the household reduction brought the combined industry-and-household fall to 2.9%.
The annual comparison has different drivers
The account also reports a separate annual comparison. For the year ended June 2026, emissions from industries and households fell by 2.9%, or 2,211 kilotonnes, compared with the year ended June 2025. Total emissions for that annual period were 75,042 kilotonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.
The annual result should not be read as a repeat of the factors behind the single quarter. Across the year, the largest downward contribution came from electricity, gas, water and waste services, where emissions fell by 30.5%, or 2,152 kilotonnes. The annual fall in that sector was associated with decreases in the September and December 2025 quarters, even though it rose in each of the latest two quarters.
Household emissions were also lower across the year, down 3.4%, or 278 kilotonnes. By contrast, manufacturing emissions rose 1.1% over the annual period, despite their decline in the June quarter. Annual comparisons combine several quarters and can therefore reflect a different pattern from the latest quarter-on-quarter movement.
The figures offer a snapshot of how estimated emissions changed across major parts of the economy and households. They show simultaneous reductions in some sectors and increases in others, rather than a uniform shift. Keeping the quarterly and annual periods distinct is essential to understanding what the account says: the latest three-month fall was led by manufacturing and household transport, while the full-year decrease was driven principally by lower electricity, gas, water and waste services emissions.
