ghg-inventory-1990-2013

Table 6.7.4
Recalculations for New Zealand’s net emissions from the wetlands category in
1990 and 2012
Net emissions (kt CO 2 -e)
Change from the 2014 submission
Year 2014 submission 2015 submission (kt CO 2 -e) (%)
1990 +218.2 –21.8 –240.0 –110.0
2012 +44.4 +7.2 –37.3 –83.8
6.7.6 Category-specific planned improvements
During the coming year, the focus of planned improvements in this category will be to
ensure the data inputs and modelling are consistent with the 2006 IPCC guidelines.
6.8 Settlements (CRF 4E)
6.8.1 Description
The Settlements land-use category, as described in chapter 3.2 of GPG-AFOLU, includes
“all developed land, including transportation infrastructure and human settlements of any
size, unless they are already included under other land-use categories” (IPCC, 2006a,
p 3.7). Settlements include trees grown along streets, in public and private gardens, and in
parks associated with urban areas.
In 2013, there were 224,733 hectares of Settlements in New Zealand, an increase of
17,793 hectares since 1990. This category comprised 0.8 per cent of New Zealand’s total
land area in 2013. The largest area of change to Settlements between 1990 and 2013 was
from high producing grassland, with 13,688 hectares of high producing grassland
converted to Settlements between 1990 and 2013.
In 2013, the net emissions from Settlements were –4.6 kt CO 2 -e (see table 6.8.1). These
emissions are entirely from the subcategory of Land converted to settlements.
Settlements were not a key category in 2013.
Table 6.8.1
Settlements land-use
category
Settlements remaining
settlements
New Zealand’s land-use change for the settlements category, and associated
CO 2-- equivalent emissions, from 1990 to 2013
Net emissions
Change
Net area (ha)
(kt CO 2 -e)
from
1990 2013 1990 (%) 1990 2013
Change
from
1990 (%)
183,552 202,800 +10.5 NE NE NA
Land converted to settlements 23,388 21,933 –6.2 2.3 –4.6 –300.4
Total 206,940 224,733 +8.6 2.3 –4.6 –300.4
Note:
NA = not applicable. 1990 and 2013 area values as at 31 December. Net emission values
are for the whole year indicated. Net emissions for the settlements remaining settlements
land-use category are not estimated (NE) as no Tier 1 default emission factor is provided in
GPG-AFOLU for this subcategory; see section 6.8.2 for details. Columns may not total due
to rounding.
In 2013, there were 202,800 hectares of Settlements remaining settlements (table 6.8.1).
Carbon in living biomass and dead organic matter is not estimated for this land-use
category. The carbon stock in soil for this land use is assumed to be in steady state.
From 1990 to 2013, the net carbon stock change for Settlements decreased by 176.7 kt C,
equivalent to emissions of 647.7 kt CO 2 in total since 1990 (table 6.8.2). These
carbon stock losses are predominantly due to the loss of living biomass on land
conversion to Settlements.
New Zealand’s Greenhouse Gas Inventory 1990–2013 271