Auckland Council Consumption Emission Methodology
The Auckland Council Emission Intensities dataset focuses on consumption-based emissions accounting, which calculates the emissions generated by the goods and services people consume. This approach identifies opportunities for emission reduction by analyzing emission intensities, measured in tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2-e) per dollar spent.
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For the latest file version of this emission factor set and to explore additional databases managed by Continia, see the Emission Factor Databases Overview article.
The dataset utilizes data from Statistics New Zealand, including the 2020 Inter-industry Study of the New Zealand economy and 2019 greenhouse gas emissions data. It connects this data to the Household Economic Survey (HES) to show how household spending patterns impact emissions. Instead of conducting a detailed life cycle analysis of products, this methodology simplifies the process by linking emissions to consumer spending. It assumes that emissions from imported goods are comparable to those produced domestically, which helps in identifying potential reductions in emissions, including scope 3 emissions.
Auckland Council will use this methodology to create a national set of emission intensities for various commodities, aligned with the HES data. These intensities are calculated using input-output mathematics based on the Supply-Use Table Framework from the inter-industry study. The final consumption emission intensities are derived from national-level HES data, adjusted for factors like margins and taxes. These intensities cover embodied emissions associated with consumption but do not include direct household emissions.
For the latest updates and information on the dataset, visit https://www.knowledgeauckland.org.nz/publications/consumption-emissions-modelling/