Per capita nitrous oxide emissions by sector in New Zealand
New Zealand: Per capita nitrous oxide emissions by sector was 2,252 kilograms per person in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
2,252 kilograms per person
Change on year
down 5.0%
World rank
4th
of 193 countries
All-time high
3,789 kilograms per person
in 1990
All-time low
2,252 kilograms per person
in 2023
Years of data
34
1990–2023
Per capita nitrous oxide emissions by sector in New Zealand, 1990–2023
Source: Climate Watch (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in kilograms per person.
Analysis
In 2023, per capita nitrous oxide emissions by sector in New Zealand stood at 2,252 kilograms per person. That is the lowest value across all 34 years on record.
The figure is down 5.0% on the previous year and down 21.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, per capita nitrous oxide emissions by sector in New Zealand peaked at 3,789 kilograms per person in 1990 and was at its lowest, 2,252 kilograms per person, in 2023.
That places New Zealand 4th out of 193 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 34 years of available data.
Per capita nitrous oxide emissions by sector in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | kilograms per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 3,789 kilograms per person | — |
| 1991 | 3,634 kilograms per person | -4.1% |
| 1992 | 3,536 kilograms per person | -2.7% |
| 1993 | 3,467 kilograms per person | -1.9% |
| 1994 | 3,527 kilograms per person | +1.7% |
| 1995 | 3,568 kilograms per person | +1.2% |
| 1996 | 3,408 kilograms per person | -4.5% |
| 1997 | 3,347 kilograms per person | -1.8% |
| 1998 | 3,240 kilograms per person | -3.2% |
| 1999 | 3,309 kilograms per person | +2.1% |
| 2000 | 3,266 kilograms per person | -1.3% |
| 2001 | 3,271 kilograms per person | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 3,288 kilograms per person | +0.5% |
| 2003 | 3,306 kilograms per person | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 3,259 kilograms per person | -1.4% |
| 2005 | 3,233 kilograms per person | -0.8% |
| 2006 | 3,156 kilograms per person | -2.4% |
| 2007 | 3,092 kilograms per person | -2.0% |
| 2008 | 2,975 kilograms per person | -3.8% |
| 2009 | 2,899 kilograms per person | -2.5% |
| 2010 | 2,916 kilograms per person | +0.6% |
| 2011 | 2,911 kilograms per person | -0.2% |
| 2012 | 2,917 kilograms per person | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 2,885 kilograms per person | -1.1% |
| 2014 | 2,887 kilograms per person | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 2,794 kilograms per person | -3.2% |
| 2016 | 2,719 kilograms per person | -2.7% |
| 2017 | 2,670 kilograms per person | -1.8% |
| 2018 | 2,628 kilograms per person | -1.6% |
| 2019 | 2,567 kilograms per person | -2.3% |
| 2020 | 2,519 kilograms per person | -1.9% |
| 2021 | 2,471 kilograms per person | -1.9% |
| 2022 | 2,370 kilograms per person | -4.1% |
| 2023 | 2,252 kilograms per person | -5.0% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 2,252 kilograms per person is above the median for high income countries, which is 234.74 kilograms per person, 9.6× the median. (62 countries reporting)
- New Zealand's 2,252 kilograms per person is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 171.85 kilograms per person, 13.1× the median. (30 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 3,482 kilograms per person | 3,240 kilograms per person | 3,789 kilograms per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 3,175 kilograms per person | 2,899 kilograms per person | 3,306 kilograms per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 2,790 kilograms per person | 2,567 kilograms per person | 2,917 kilograms per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 2,403 kilograms per person | 2,252 kilograms per person | 2,519 kilograms per person | 4 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
More reference data data for New Zealand
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.4532 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 9.92 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 10.93 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0459 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 10.93 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.52 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.53 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 42.17 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 47.53 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.2499 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is per capita nitrous oxide emissions by sector in New Zealand?
- Per capita nitrous oxide emissions by sector in New Zealand was 2,252 kilograms per person in 2023, according to Climate Watch (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest per capita nitrous oxide emissions by sector recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 3,789 kilograms per person in 1990.
- What is the lowest per capita nitrous oxide emissions by sector recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 2,252 kilograms per person in 2023.
- How does New Zealand rank for per capita nitrous oxide emissions by sector?
- New Zealand ranks 4th out of 193 countries with data for 2023.
- Is per capita nitrous oxide emissions by sector rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from Climate Watch (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Per capita nitrous oxide emissions by sector. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 34 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Emissions are measured in kilograms of carbon dioxide-equivalents per person.