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Transport VKT Total
Road transport and greenhouse gases
Emissions from vehicle exhausts contain carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide, all of which are greenhouse gases that cause climate change. Approximately 16 per cent of New Zealand’s total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions come from road transport.
Between 2001 and 2007, GHG emissions attributed to road transport increased by 21 per cent. This includes emissions from diesel used for non-transport purposes (eg, farm machinery). Over the same period, total VKT increased by 12 per cent.
Although it is not known how much of the increase in GHG emissions increase is due to the burning of non-transport diesel, these figures suggest an increase in GHG emissions for each vehicle kilometre travelled.
Possible reasons for an increase include:
- increases in average engine size
- increases in truck and bus travel relative to travel by other vehicle classes
- increased freight volumes
- congestion caused by more vehicles on New Zealand roads.
All these things cause higher fuel use per kilometre, which equals less fuel-efficient travel. When more fuel is burnt for each kilometre travelled, more greenhouse gas emissions are produced.
This information has come from the environmental report card on vehicle kilometres travelled by road.
Return to total VKT page.
Last updated: March 2009
