Anthropogenic emissions of carbon dioxide and methane in New Zealand

Abstract

In 1988, New Zealand anthropogenic emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂) and methane (CH₄) comprised about 6.0 and 1.1 million tonnes of carbon, respectively. On a per capita basis, CO₂ emissions are low for an industrialised country (in 1986 about 1.4 times the global average) but CH₄ emissions are relatively high (1986 emissions more than 5 times the global average). The 1980–1986 annual growth rate in New Zealand CO₂ emissions of over 2% per yr (1986–1988 growth rate of ∼5% per yr) is also relatively high.