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Emissions by gas

Inventory reporting under the Climate Change Convention covers six direct greenhouse gases: carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, sulphur hexafluoride, perfluorocarbons and hydrofluorocarbons. Figure 2 shows the contribution of each direct greenhouse gas to total emissions in 2006. Trends in emissions over the period 1990–2006 are shown in Figure 3. The change in the total emissions between 1990 and 2006 is shown in Figure 4. As required by the Climate Change Convention guidelines, indirect greenhouse gases (carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, and non-methane volatile organic compounds) are reported in the inventory but are not included in the national total.

Removals of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere are reported in the LULUCF sector.

  • Carbon dioxide contributed the largest share of all 2006 emissions at 47 per cent (36.4 CO2-e). Carbon dioxide emissions have increased 43 per cent (11.0 Mt CO2-e) from the 1990 level of 25.4 Mt CO2-e.

  • Methane contributed 35 per cent (27.5 Mt CO2-e) of total emissions in 2006. Methane emissions have grown 8 per cent (2.0 Mt CO2-e) from the 1990 level of 25.5 Mt CO2-e.

  • Nitrous oxide contributed 17 per cent (13.3 Mt CO2-e) of emissions in 2006. Emissions have increased 27 per cent (2.9 Mt CO2-e) from the 1990 level of 10.4 Mt CO2-e.

  • Perfluorocarbons, sulphur hexafluoride and hydrofluorocarbons contributed the remaining 1 per cent (0.7 Mt CO2-e).

  • Emissions of perfluorocarbons have decreased from 0.6 Mt CO2-e in 1990, to 0.1 Mt CO2-e in 2006, or 86 per cent (0.6 Mt CO2-e).

  • Emissions of sulphur hexafluoride have grown 7 per cent (0.0009 Mt CO2-e), from the 1990 level of 0.0123 Mt CO2-e to the 2006 level of 0.0132 Mt CO2-e.

  • In 1990, no hydrofluorocarbons were used in New Zealand. In 2006, 0.6 Mt CO2-e of hydrofluorocarbon emissions were produced.

Figure 2: New Zealand's total greenhouse gas emissions by gas: 2006

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Figure 3: Trends in greenhouse gas emissions by gas: 1990–2006

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Figure 4: Change in greenhouse gas emissions by gas 1990 to 2006 (all Figures Mt CO2-e and exclude LULUCF)

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