WELLINGTON, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand's total regional greenhouse gas emissions fell to their lowest level since records began in 2007, official data showed on Friday.
The country's regional greenhouse gas emissions declined 1,921 kilotons to 76,202 kilotons in 2025, as increased renewable power generation, including hydro, geothermal and solar, reduced the need for coal- and gas-fired electricity generation, Stats NZ said in a statement.
Taranaki in the North Island recorded the largest regional decrease for the second consecutive year, with emissions down 12.4 percent between 2024 and 2025, accounting for 34 percent of the overall reduction in regional emissions in that period, largely driven by lower emissions from electricity, gas, water and waste services, it said.
The declines were partly offset by higher emissions in Canterbury and Manawatu-Whanganui, where increased agricultural activities were the main driver of emissions growth, said the statistics department.
Household emissions fell across all regions in 2025, down by 2.6 percent from the previous year, largely due to lower household transport emissions, the department said, noting that household emissions accounted for 10.5 percent of New Zealand's total emissions, with the remainder coming from industry.
Auckland, New Zealand's largest city, recorded the biggest decrease in household emissions, while household emissions per person averaged 1.5 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent nationally in 2025, statistics showed. ■