between 2005 and 2019, there been very little change in emissions of planet-heating gasses by the country. According to the national statistical office, emissions in 2019 stood at 82.3 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent. This was only 0.2 per cent less than 2005 levels. This was despite an Emissions Trading scheme, which puts a price on carbon emissions, that was in place for 11 of the intervening 14 years. Meanwhile, glacier ice in the Pacific island’s mountains, which are a reliable indicator of climate impacts, shrank by more than a third during a period of just over 20 years, from 53.3 cubic kilometres to 34.6. Here, the biggest losses were recorded in 2011, 2018 and 2019.
On the other hand, more up-to-date quarterly emission figures which are also published by Stats NZ show the effects of the pandemic on greenhouse gasses that were discharged by the country. According to the report, although the global health crisis made a dent in emissions, there was no underlying trend of sustained reductions. The Kiwi government has already set a target of slashing emissions by 40 per cent over the next eight years. More than half of this is expected to be met by purchasing overseas carbon credits, while the state has also proposed cutting 7.7 million tonnes of emissions domestically over the next four years.
