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Australia vs New Zealand

33 metrics with data for both countries. The solid line is Australia; the dashed grey line is New Zealand.

Country A · Australia
Country B · New Zealand

Climate

CO2 emissions

Australia: 386.7 Mt CO2/year · 2024New Zealand: 32.5 Mt CO2/year · 2024
0200400175018001850190019502000New Zealandhigh 2019

Carbon dioxide released each year from burning fossil fuels and industry. The main driver of global warming. Global Carbon Budget via Our World in Data

CO2 emissions per person

Australia: 14.5 t CO2/person/year · 2024New Zealand: 6.23 t CO2/person/year · 2024
01020175018001850190019502000New Zealandhigh 2004

Each person's share of their country's yearly CO2 emissions. A fairer way to compare countries of very different sizes. Global Carbon Budget via Our World in Data

Temperature anomaly

Australia: 0.47 °C vs 1991-2020 · 2025New Zealand: 0.83 °C vs 1991-2020 · 2025
-10119401960198020002020New Zealandhigh 2019low 1974

How much warmer or cooler a country's year was compared with its 1991-2020 average. Watch the map turn red as you move the slider towards today. Copernicus Climate Change Service (ERA5) via Our World in Data

Methane emissions

Australia: 135.6 Mt CO2e/year · 2024New Zealand: 34.6 Mt CO2e/year · 2024
01002001850190019502000New Zealandhigh 2001

Methane traps around 80 times more heat than CO2 over 20 years. It comes mainly from livestock, rice, landfill and leaky fossil fuel infrastructure. Global Carbon Project / PRIMAP via Our World in Data

All greenhouse gases

Australia: 609.9 Mt CO2e/year · 2024New Zealand: 81.9 Mt CO2e/year · 2024
05001850190019502000New Zealandhigh 2010

Every warming gas combined: CO2, methane and nitrous oxide, expressed as CO2-equivalents. Jones et al. / PRIMAP via Our World in Data

Nitrous oxide emissions

Australia: 67.8 Mt CO2e/year · 2024New Zealand: 13.3 Mt CO2e/year · 2024
0501001850190019502000New Zealandhigh 2001

N2O is nearly 300 times more warming than CO2 and comes mostly from fertilised farmland and livestock. Jones et al. / PRIMAP via Our World in Data

Consumption-based CO2

Australia: 372.2 Mt CO2/year · 2023New Zealand: 41.4 Mt CO2/year · 2023
02004001990200020102020New Zealandhigh 2012

CO2 counted where goods are used rather than where they are made. Compare with production emissions to see who imports their footprint. Global Carbon Budget via Our World in Data

Aviation emissions per person

Australia: 759.0 kg CO2/person/year · 2024New Zealand: 773.3 kg CO2/person/year · 2024
05001k201420162018202020222024New Zealand

Each person's share of the CO2 from flights taking off in their country, including passengers and freight. ICCT / Graver et al. via Our World in Data

Energy

Renewable energy share

Australia: 14.7 % of primary energy · 2024New Zealand: 42.6 % of primary energy · 2024
02040197019801990200020102020New Zealandlow 2008

The slice of a country's energy that comes from renewables such as wind, solar and hydro. Energy Institute Statistical Review via Our World in Data

Fossil fuel share

Australia: 85.3 % of primary energy · 2024New Zealand: 57.4 % of primary energy · 2024
050100197019801990200020102020New Zealandhigh 2008

The slice of a country's energy still coming from coal, oil and gas. The number the world is trying to shrink. Energy Institute Statistical Review via Our World in Data

Energy use per person

Australia: 62,595 kWh/person/year · 2024New Zealand: 44,712 kWh/person/year · 2024
020k40k60k197019801990200020102020New Zealandhigh 2007

How much energy each person uses in a year, across electricity, transport, heating and industry. Energy Institute / Ember via Our World in Data

Solar electricity

Australia: 19.6 % of electricity · 2025New Zealand: 0.85 % of electricity · 2025
010201990200020102020New Zealand

The share of a country's electricity generated from solar panels. The fastest-growing energy source in history. Ember / Energy Institute via Our World in Data

Wind electricity

Australia: 13.7 % of electricity · 2025New Zealand: 9.74 % of electricity · 2025
05101990200020102020New Zealand

The share of a country's electricity generated from wind turbines, onshore and offshore. Ember / Energy Institute via Our World in Data

Coal electricity

Australia: 42.7 % of electricity · 2025New Zealand: 1.13 % of electricity · 2025
0501990200020102020New Zealandhigh 1997

The share of electricity still generated by burning coal, the most polluting fuel. The number that must reach zero first. Ember / Energy Institute via Our World in Data

Electric car sales

Australia: 15.0 % of new cars · 2025New Zealand: 12.0 % of new cars · 2025
01020201520202025New Zealand

The share of newly sold cars that are electric. Norway crossed 90% in the early 2020s; most of the world is following. International Energy Agency via Our World in Data

Oil electricity

Australia: 2.22 % of electricity · 2025New Zealand: 1.48 % of electricity · 2025
0241990200020102020New Zealandlow 1999

The share of a country's electricity generated by burning oil. Rare on big grids, still common on islands. Ember via Our World in Data

Gas electricity

Australia: 16.4 % of electricity · 2025New Zealand: 8.86 % of electricity · 2025
01020301990200020102020New Zealandhigh 2014low 1997

The share of a country's electricity generated from natural gas, the least polluting fossil fuel but still a fossil fuel. Ember via Our World in Data

Land & Life

Tree cover loss

Australia: 180,504 ha/year · 2024New Zealand: 39,449 ha/year · 2024
01M2M2005201020152020New Zealandhigh 2020low 2022

Forest area lost each year to fire, logging, farming and storms. Not all loss is permanent deforestation, but the trend matters. Global Forest Watch (Hansen/UMD) via Our World in Data

Forest area

Australia: 17.4 % of land · 2025New Zealand: 39.1 % of land · 2025
020401990200020102020New Zealandlow 2010

How much of a country's land is covered by forest. FAO via Our World in Data

Deaths from natural disasters

Australia: 6.99 deaths/year · 2021New Zealand: 1.01 deaths/year · 2021
010020020002005201020152020New Zealandhigh 2011low 2002

People killed by floods, storms, droughts, heatwaves, earthquakes and other disasters each year. Single events dominate single years. IHME Global Burden of Disease via Our World in Data

Red List Index

Australia: 0.81 index (1 = species safe) · 2024New Zealand: 0.64 index (1 = species safe) · 2024
00.5200020102020New Zealand

Tracks extinction risk across all assessed species. 1 means no species at risk; falling values mean wildlife sliding towards extinction. IUCN / SDG 15.5.1 via Our World in Data

Protected land

Australia: 22.0 % of land area · 2024New Zealand: 33.4 % of land area · 2024
0102030201420162018202020222024New Zealand

The share of a country's land under legal protection for nature. The global 30x30 target aims for 30% by 2030. World Bank / UNEP-WCMC via Our World in Data

Meat supply per person

Australia: 116.8 kg/person/year · 2023New Zealand: 79.5 kg/person/year · 2023
050100150198020002020New Zealandhigh 1978low 1974

Meat available for consumption per person. Livestock drives around 15% of global emissions and most deforestation. FAO via Our World in Data

Nitrogen fertiliser use

Australia: 61.7 kg N/ha of cropland · 2023New Zealand: 49.9 kg N/ha of cropland · 2023
0204060198020002020New Zealand

Nitrogen applied per hectare of cropland. It feeds half the world, but runoff chokes rivers and coastal seas. FAO via Our World in Data

Marine protected areas

Australia: 45.4 % of territorial waters · 2024New Zealand: 30.4 % of territorial waters · 2024
02040201420162018202020222024New Zealand

How much of a country's coastal waters are protected for nature. The global goal is 30% by 2030. UNEP-WCMC via Our World in Data

Urban population

Australia: 87.7 % living in cities · 2025New Zealand: 84.0 % living in cities · 2025
0501960198020002020New Zealand

The share of people living in towns and cities. Urbanisation shapes energy use, land use and how people experience climate change. UN World Urbanization Prospects via Our World in Data

Water

Water stress

Australia: 4.67 % of renewable resources withdrawn · 2022New Zealand: 8.05 % of renewable resources withdrawn · 2022
0520002005201020152020New Zealandlow 2020

How much of a country's renewable freshwater is withdrawn each year. Above 25% counts as stressed; above 100% means drawing down reserves. FAO AQUASTAT (SDG 6.4.2) via Our World in Data

Renewable water per person

Australia: 18,909 m³/person/year · 2022New Zealand: 64,349 m³/person/year · 2022
050k100k198020002020New Zealand

Each person's share of the country's renewable freshwater. Below 1,700 m³ is water stress; below 1,000 m³ is scarcity. FAO AQUASTAT via Our World in Data

Annual precipitation

Australia: 454.9 mm/year · 2025New Zealand: 1,631 mm/year · 2025
05001k1.5k19401960198020002020New Zealandhigh 1974low 2019

Total rain and snow that fell over a country in a year, averaged across its land area. Copernicus Climate Change Service (ERA5) via Our World in Data

Rainfall anomaly

Australia: 0.50 % vs 1961-1990 · 2025New Zealand: 5.50 % vs 1961-1990 · 2025
05019401960198020002020New Zealandhigh 1974low 2019

How much wetter (teal) or drier (brown) a country's year was compared with its 1961-1990 average. A simple drought and deluge signal. Derived from Copernicus ERA5 precipitation via Our World in Data

Safely managed sanitation

Australia: 95.8 % of population · 2024New Zealand: 88.8 % of population · 2024
05010020002005201020152020New Zealand

The share of people whose toilet waste is safely treated rather than left to contaminate water and soil. WHO/UNICEF JMP via Our World in Data

Pollution

Air pollution (PM2.5)

Australia: 5.40 µg/m³ annual mean · 2024New Zealand: 7.00 µg/m³ annual mean · 2024
0520002005201020152020New Zealandhigh 2019low 2008

Average exposure to fine particles small enough to enter the bloodstream. The WHO guideline is 5 µg/m³. World Bank / van Donkelaar et al. via Our World in Data

Ozone-depleting substances

Australia: 7.86 ODP tonnes/year · 2021New Zealand: -3.76 ODP tonnes/year · 2021
010k20k1990200020102020New Zealandlow 2012

Consumption of chemicals that destroy the ozone layer. Watch the map fade towards zero: the Montreal Protocol is the world's most successful environmental treaty. UN Environment Programme via Our World in Data