The new data from a Waikato Regional Council survey of emissions for 2018-19 showed agriculture is the only sector to reduce its emissions compared to the previous survey in 2015-16.
However, agriculture remains the largest contributor of gross greenhouse gas emissions in the region. Emissions from the transport sector and emissions from stationary energy totalled 15% and 13% respectively.
Both were up because increases in population.
An estimated 83% of the 8.6m tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) generated from agriculture came from methane emitted from farm animals.
Overall, 56% of the region’s 12.6m tonnes of CO2e came from that form of methane.
The surveyor, consulting firm EnviroStrat, called it a significant challenge for the region.
The region’s net emissions per capita vary between districts.
Large areas of forests in Taupo and Thames-Coromandel meant they are carbon positive with their per capita net emissions at -34.4t and -3.8t CO2e respectively.
But Otorohanga’s per capita net emissions were 82.8t CO2e, Waitomo’s emissions were 44.1t CO2e and Matamata-Piako’s emissions were 44.6t CO2e.
Regional council’s climate action committee chairwoman Jennifer Nickel said the inventory paints an interesting picture of what is going on and where and it means approaches to curb and adapt to climate change will be varied across the region.
Nickel said the council will use the information to develop a climate action roadmap to support it and the region’s territorial authorities to become leaders in carbon and water management.
“The decision to measure the carbon footprint of each of the territorial authorities was a unanimous one among the councils and it will enable us all to work together to focus attention on the areas where the best reductions can be made.”
