Per capita nitrous oxide emissions in New Zealand
New Zealand: Per capita nitrous oxide emissions was 2.54 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
2.54 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person
Change on year
down 2.1%
World rank
3rd
of 201 countries
All-time high
20.39 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person
in 1850
All-time low
2.54 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person
in 2024
Years of data
175
1850–2024
Per capita nitrous oxide emissions in New Zealand, 1850–2024
Source: Jones et al. (2025); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person.
Analysis
The most recent figure for per capita nitrous oxide emissions in New Zealand is 2.54 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 175 years on record.
That represents a change of down 2.1% on the previous year and down 18.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, per capita nitrous oxide emissions in New Zealand peaked at 20.39 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person in 1850 and was at its lowest, 2.54 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person, in 2024.
New Zealand ranks 3rd of 201 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1850s | 18.67 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 16.45 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 20.39 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1860s | 11.48 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 7.96 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 15.61 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1870s | 7.02 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 6.86 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 7.43 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1880s | 6.14 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 5.65 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 6.7 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1890s | 4.9 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 4.06 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 6.15 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1900s | 4.08 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 3.91 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 4.3 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1910s | 4.12 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 3.95 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 4.28 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1920s | 3.82 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 3.71 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 3.91 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1930s | 3.46 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 3.27 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 3.66 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1940s | 3.81 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 3.23 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 4.54 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1950s | 4.55 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 4.53 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 4.58 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1960s | 4.62 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 4.41 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 4.96 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1970s | 4.58 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 4.41 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 4.94 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1980s | 4.52 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 4.17 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 4.69 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.75 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 3.5 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 4.06 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.44 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 3.14 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 3.58 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.02 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 2.79 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 3.16 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.64 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 2.54 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 2.74 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 5 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
- 1 Mongolia 4.26 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person compare
- 2 Botswana 3.14 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person compare
- 4 Australia 2.54 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person compare
- 5 Uruguay 2.23 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person compare
- 6 Central African Republic 1.88 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person compare
More reference data data for New Zealand
- Spring temperature anomalies 0.2008 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 1.76 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month 0.0464 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 2 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 0.5251 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 0.5536 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 144.86 2010 = 100 (2025)
- Universal right to vote 2 (2025)
- Competitive elections 1 (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote 1 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is per capita nitrous oxide emissions in New Zealand?
- Per capita nitrous oxide emissions in New Zealand was 2.54 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person in 2024, according to Jones et al. (2025); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest per capita nitrous oxide emissions recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 20.39 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person in 1850.
- What is the lowest per capita nitrous oxide emissions recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.54 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person in 2024.
- How does New Zealand rank for per capita nitrous oxide emissions?
- New Zealand ranks 3rd out of 201 countries with data for 2024.
- Is per capita nitrous oxide emissions rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is down 18.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from Jones et al. (2025); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Per capita nitrous oxide emissions. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 175 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Measured in tonnes per person of carbon dioxide-equivalents over a 100-year timescale.