Stats NZ

New Zealand’s environmental reporting series: Our air 2024

New Zealand's environmental reporting series: Our air 2024 presents information on the state of air in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Our air 2024 is the latest in a series of environmental reports produced by the Ministry for the Environment and Stats NZ. It is the fourth report in the series dedicated to our air, following the 2014, 2018 and 2021 reports. It is part of the third cycle of reports released under the Environmental Reporting Act 2015.

View the Our air 2024 report on the Ministry for the Environment website.

See also the indicators for Our air 2024.

About the report

Our air 2024 describes the diverse factors that influence our air quality, presents an overview of the most recent air quality data from monitoring sites around the country, and examines the health, economic and cultural impacts of different types of air pollution, and the evidence around how it impacts the environment more broadly. It provides an assessment of how air quality in New Zealand may change out to 2050, and identifies key knowledge gaps.

The report includes insights from research literature and environmental reporting indicators.

Environmental indicators: Our air 2024

Air pollutant emissions
 
Annual emissions were lower in 2019 for 4 out of 5 major air pollutants
Compared with 2012
Carbon monoxide concentrations: Data to 2023
 
Carbon monoxide concentration trends decreased at 1 of 3 sites in New Zealand; trends were indeterminate at the remaining 2 sites
Between 2016 and 2023
Ground-level ozone concentrations: Data to 2023
 
Ground-level ozone concentrations at both Patumāhoe and Wellington Central were within the National Environmental Standards for Air Quality short-term standard and the eight-hour and peak season World Health Organization guidelines
Between 2020 and 2023
Human health impacts of PM₂.₅ and NO₂
 
PM₂.₅ and NO₂ from human-made air pollution was associated with an estimated 3,317 premature deaths and 13,155 hospitalisations in Aotearoa New Zealand
In 2016
Nitrogen dioxide concentrations: Data to 2023
 
Nitrogen dioxide concentrations decreased at 87 percent of NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi monitoring network sites (99 of 114) in New Zealand; trends were indeterminate at the remaining 15 sites
Between 2014 and 2023
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