Waikato’s emissions higher: report
Waikato’s greenhouse gas emissions are significantly higher than the national average, a new report says.
The Waikato Regional Council has released a greenhouse gas inventory for 2018-19, breaking down emissions within the region.
Excluding forestry, activities in Waikato generated about 12,646,982 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (t CO2e) throughout
2018-19, the report prepared by EnviroStrat says.
Waikato’s gross emissions are
26.7t CO2e per capita, compared with a national average of 16.5t
CO2e.
The report measures energy, transport, waste, industry and agricultural emissions across the district.
Agriculture makes up 69 per cent of Waikato’s emissions – remaining the largest contributor in the region. That is down 4 per cent from
2015-16, credited to smaller dairy herds across the region.
But population growth has led to growing transport emissions, up by
32.3 per cent from three years ago. Transport accounts for 15 per cent of the region’s emissions.
‘‘While the downward trend for Waikato region is positive, the challenge for the region continues to be the high proportion of methane – 83 per cent,’’ the report says.
Regional council climate action committee chairwoman Jennifer Nickel said comparing Waikato’s emissions against a national average doesn’t account for the region’s diversity. An emissions profile in Hamilton, Thames-Coromandel or Taupo¯ would be very different to Matamata-Piako, Nickel said.
‘‘The numbers are just the numbers. What would be concerning is if we didn’t respond to the numbers.’’
Nickel said the data will enable individual councils to identify where emissions are coming from, and how reductions can be made.