Less hot air

The decrease, said Stats NZ, was mainly due to lower agriculture, forestry and fishing emissions. Emissions from this sector were down 8.1% from their peak in March 2019, and currently at their lowest level since Stats NZ's emission series began.

The drop came at the same time as a 7.7% increase from the electicity, gas, water and waste services industry, "due to an increase in natural gas used for electricity".

Don't hold your breath waiting for the Greens or Greenpeace to give farmers a pat on the back though - it just doesn't suit their anti-farming narrative.