Exposure to air pollution from human sources in New Zealand
New Zealand: Exposure to air pollution from human sources was 3.97 micrograms per cubic meter in 2024. ▲ Rising
Exposure to air pollution from human sources in New Zealand, 1998–2024
Source: Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC) (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in micrograms per cubic meter.
Analysis
The most recent figure for exposure to air pollution from human sources in New Zealand is 3.97 micrograms per cubic meter, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.2% on the previous year and up 7.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, exposure to air pollution from human sources in New Zealand peaked at 5.27 micrograms per cubic meter in 2019 and was at its lowest, 3.2 micrograms per cubic meter, in 1998.
New Zealand ranks 189th of 240 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 27 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 3.28 micrograms per cubic meter | 3.2 micrograms per cubic meter | 3.36 micrograms per cubic meter | 2 |
| 2000s | 3.65 micrograms per cubic meter | 3.42 micrograms per cubic meter | 3.86 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.01 micrograms per cubic meter | 3.65 micrograms per cubic meter | 5.27 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.02 micrograms per cubic meter | 3.81 micrograms per cubic meter | 4.21 micrograms per cubic meter | 5 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
- 186 Turks and Caicos Islands 4.55 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 188 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 4.17 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 189 Vanuatu 3.97 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 191 Bahamas 3.91 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 192 Australia 3.89 micrograms per cubic meter compare
More environment data for New Zealand
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF 77.84 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF per capita 14.71 t CO2e/capita (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture 29.69 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) 0.0763 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) 0.671 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Industrial Combustion (Energy) 0.0207 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF 34.4 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) 0.0183 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Transport (Energy) 0.0794 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Waste 3.78 Mt CO2e (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is exposure to air pollution from human sources in New Zealand?
- Exposure to air pollution from human sources in New Zealand was 3.97 micrograms per cubic meter in 2024, according to Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC) (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest exposure to air pollution from human sources recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 5.27 micrograms per cubic meter in 2019.
- What is the lowest exposure to air pollution from human sources recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.2 micrograms per cubic meter in 1998.
- How does New Zealand rank for exposure to air pollution from human sources?
- New Zealand ranks 189th out of 240 countries with data for 2024.
- Is exposure to air pollution from human sources rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC) (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Exposure to air pollution from human sources. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 27 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Annual population-weighted average concentration of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in the air, measured in micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m³). Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) are particles with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or less, which can pose significant health risks. This data excludes natural sources of PM2.5, such as dust and sea salt, to focus on human-caused pollution.