The first greenhouse gas emissions inventory report for Waitaha/Canterbury has been published and is available to read on our Getting to Net Zero webpage. The report analyses the greenhouse gas emissions for our region in 2018 and 2021.

This new report, prepared by an independent environmental consultancy, includes more detail than the high-level regional greenhouse gas emission estimates published by Statistics NZ.

A key tool in our climate work

“The emissions inventory report is a key tool in our climate action work that will enable us to track changes to emissions over time, assess different mitigation options, and evaluate the effect of central and local government policies on regional emissions,” said Chief Scientist Dr. Fiona Shanhun.

Information from the report is helping shape our first climate action plan, which is due to be published in September 2024. The report will also help inform the Canterbury Climate Partnership Plan – a collaborative climate action plan being created by all 11 councils in Canterbury through the Canterbury Mayoral Forum.

We plan to publish the next version of the emissions inventory report for Waitaha/Canterbury in 2026. It is likely the next report will also include information about carbon sequestration.

Sources of greenhouse gas emissions

The report presents greenhouse gas emissions in five categories:

• Transport – from burning fossil fuels (like petrol and diesel) in vehicles
• Stationary energy – from burning fossil fuels to produce heat (e.g., in manufacturing plants), including for generating the electricity used in Canterbury
• Industrial processes and product use – other greenhouse gas emissions from industry and products, for example some asthma inhalers and refrigerants
• Agriculture, forestry and other land use – for example, emissions from ruminant livestock (like cows and sheep), nitrogen fertiliser, and manure management
• Waste – from decomposition of organic waste in landfills.