New Zealand's coal use drives up regional emissions

New Zealand's total regional greenhouse gas emissions, boosted by coal use, increased by 2.1 percent in 2019, statistics department Stats NZ said on Wednesday.

Waikato experienced the largest annual increase in emissions, up 1,085 kilotonnes or 7.5 percent, followed by Taranaki, up 235 kilotonnes or 4 percent, and Auckland, up 154 kilotonnes or 1.4 percent.

"The large emission increases in Waikato and Taranaki were largely due to an increase in coal being used for electricity generation and in manufacturing processes, and to a lesser extent an increase in agricultural emissions," environmental-economic accounts manager Stephen Oakley said in a statement.

In 2019, hydro-generation dipped due to low rainfall in the North Island, and as a result electricity generation from coal and gas increased. In the Waikato region, where New Zealand's largest thermal power station Huntly Power Station is situated, the total emissions increased 7.5 percent, Oakley said.

Auckland's emissions increase was driven by manufacturing, which was up 3 percent in 2019 compared with 2018, and accounted for 41 percent of its total industry emissions, he said.

In 2019, the largest falls in emissions were in Canterbury, down 179 kilotonnes, Gisborne, down 48 kilotonnes, and Tasman, down 35 kilotonne, statistics show.

Canterbury emissions were down largely due to declining livestock numbers, including dairy cattle and pig numbers in particular, Oakley said.

In 2019, the top three emitting regions -- Auckland, Waikato, and Canterbury accounted for 47 percent of total regional emissions. The high contributions of these regions to total emissions reflects both population size and the presence of emissions-intensive industries, he said. Enditem