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New Zealand vs Australia

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

Country A · New Zealand
Country B · Australia

Climate

CO2 emissions

New Zealand: 32.5 Mt CO2/year · 2024Australia: 386.7 Mt CO2/year · 2024
0200400175018001850190019502000Australiahigh 2008

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

New Zealand: 6.23 t CO2/person/year · 2024Australia: 14.5 t CO2/person/year · 2024
01020175018001850190019502000Australiahigh 2005

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

New Zealand: 0.83 °C vs 1991-2020 · 2025Australia: 0.47 °C vs 1991-2020 · 2025
-10119401960198020002020Australiahigh 2022low 1945

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

New Zealand: 34.6 Mt CO2e/year · 2024Australia: 135.6 Mt CO2e/year · 2024
01002001850190019502000Australiahigh 2006

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

New Zealand: 81.9 Mt CO2e/year · 2024Australia: 609.9 Mt CO2e/year · 2024
05001850190019502000Australiahigh 1980low 1858

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

New Zealand: 13.3 Mt CO2e/year · 2024Australia: 67.8 Mt CO2e/year · 2024
0501001850190019502000Australiahigh 1986

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

New Zealand: 41.4 Mt CO2/year · 2023Australia: 372.2 Mt CO2/year · 2023
02004001990200020102020Australiahigh 2005

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

New Zealand: 773.3 kg CO2/person/year · 2024Australia: 759.0 kg CO2/person/year · 2024
05001k201420162018202020222024Australia

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

New Zealand: 42.6 % of primary energy · 2024Australia: 14.7 % of primary energy · 2024
02040197019801990200020102020Australiahigh 1981low 2001

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

New Zealand: 57.4 % of primary energy · 2024Australia: 85.3 % of primary energy · 2024
050100197019801990200020102020Australiahigh 2001low 1981

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

New Zealand: 44,712 kWh/person/year · 2024Australia: 62,595 kWh/person/year · 2024
020k40k60k197019801990200020102020Australiahigh 2002

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

New Zealand: 0.85 % of electricity · 2025Australia: 19.6 % of electricity · 2025
010201990200020102020Australiahigh 2023

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

New Zealand: 9.74 % of electricity · 2025Australia: 13.7 % of electricity · 2025
05101990200020102020Australiahigh 2024

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

Coal electricity

New Zealand: 1.13 % of electricity · 2025Australia: 42.7 % of electricity · 2025
050200020052010201520202025Australiahigh 2005low 2016

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

New Zealand: 12.0 % of new cars · 2025Australia: 15.0 % of new cars · 2025
010202010201520202025Australiahigh 2023

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

New Zealand: 1.48 % of electricity · 2025Australia: 2.22 % of electricity · 2025
024200020052010201520202025Australiahigh 2003low 2011

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

New Zealand: 8.86 % of electricity · 2025Australia: 16.4 % of electricity · 2025
0102030200020052010201520202025Australiahigh 2001low 2023

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

New Zealand: 39,449 ha/year · 2024Australia: 180,504 ha/year · 2024
01M2M2005201020152020Australiahigh 2016

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

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

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

Deaths from natural disasters

New Zealand: 1.01 deaths/year · 2021Australia: 6.99 deaths/year · 2021
010020020002005201020152020Australiahigh 2011low 2005

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

New Zealand: 0.64 index (1 = species safe) · 2024Australia: 0.81 index (1 = species safe) · 2024
00.5200020102020Australialow 2023

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

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

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

New Zealand: 79.5 kg/person/year · 2023Australia: 116.8 kg/person/year · 2023
050100150198020002020Australiahigh 1976

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

New Zealand: 49.9 kg N/ha of cropland · 2023Australia: 61.7 kg N/ha of cropland · 2023
0204060198020002020Australiahigh 2017low 1962

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

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

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

New Zealand: 84.0 % living in cities · 2025Australia: 87.7 % living in cities · 2025
0501960198020002020Australiahigh 2006low 1955

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

New Zealand: 8.05 % of renewable resources withdrawn · 2022Australia: 4.67 % of renewable resources withdrawn · 2022
0520002005201020152020Australiahigh 2014

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

New Zealand: 64,349 m³/person/year · 2022Australia: 18,909 m³/person/year · 2022
050k100k198020002020Australialow 2021

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

New Zealand: 1,631 mm/year · 2025Australia: 454.9 mm/year · 2025
05001k1.5k19401960198020002020Australiahigh 1995low 1947

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

New Zealand: 5.50 % vs 1961-1990 · 2025Australia: 0.50 % vs 1961-1990 · 2025
05019401960198020002020Australiahigh 1995low 1947

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

New Zealand: 88.8 % of population · 2024Australia: 95.8 % of population · 2024
05010020002005201020152020Australiahigh 2023

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)

New Zealand: 7.00 µg/m³ annual mean · 2024Australia: 5.40 µg/m³ annual mean · 2024
0520002005201020152020Australiahigh 2019low 1999

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

New Zealand: -3.76 ODP tonnes/year · 2021Australia: 7.86 ODP tonnes/year · 2021
010k20k1990200020102020Australia

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