New Zealand's Top Emission Contributors for 2023 Revealed
On October 13, 2023, New Zealand revealed its top 10 emitters for the year ending June 30, 2023. Fonterra, the dairy company, retained the top spot for the third consecutive year, followed by the three major petrol retailers. Overall, these top 10 emitters collectively reduced their emissions slightly by 2 million tonnes compared to the previous year. The companies in the list include petrol companies (Z Energy, BP, and Mobil), meat companies (Silver Fern Farms, Alliance, and AFFCO), gas field operators (Todd and OMV), NZ Steel, and Open Country Dairy.
These figures are reported by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) and cover emissions from coal, gas, petrol, and farming. Notably, these emissions make up a substantial portion of New Zealand's total greenhouse gas output, which was 76.8 million tonnes in the last calculation. Dairy and meat production, petrol and diesel vehicles, and heavy industry were the dominant contributors to these emissions. Air New Zealand was an exception as it voluntarily reported its emissions, with most of its impact occurring overseas.
It is important to note that the EPA's figures may differ from those reported by the companies themselves due to variations in calculating emissions sources and self-reported activities, especially for companies like Fonterra and Z Energy. These figures provide a basis for tracking emissions changes and making year-on-year comparisons between reporting and non-reporting companies, as climate disclosure laws do not require privately-owned companies to publish standardized climate impact data.
EPA total reported emissions, 2023 versus 2022
| EPA TOTAL REPORTED EMISSIONS | YEAR TO 30 JUNE 2023 | YEAR TO JUNE 2022 |
|---|---|---|
| Fonterra | 12.8m | 13.1m |
| Z energy | 7m | 6.8m |
| Mobil | 5.2m | 4.7m |
| BP | 4m | 4.9m |
| Silver Fern Farms | 3.1m | 3.8m |
| Todd | 3.1m | 3m |
| Alliance Group | 2.7m | 2.6m |
| Affco | 2.5m | 2.7m |
| OMV | 1.6m | 2m |
| NZ Steel | 1.4m | 1.8m |
| Open Country Dairy | 1.4m | 1.4m |
| Ballance | 1.2m | 1.2m |
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