Air pollution causes adverse health effects such as asthma, lung and heart conditions. To improve air quality, we must reduce air emissions. Auckland Council is responsible for the management of air quality in the Auckland region.

An air emissions inventory identifies and quantifies sources of air pollution and their trends. It provides a useful tool to determine major sources of air pollutants, and to evaluate our progress in reducing air pollution. The Auckland air emissions inventory was last updated in 2014 for the base year of 2006. Over the last decade, Auckland Council and Central Government have invested significant resources towards improving Auckland’s transport infrastructure, including motorways and public transport services. More people have chosen cleaner methods to warm their homes in winter. Some industries have closed, and others have installed better air pollution controls. While these changes have seen positive results, they are offset by the rate of growth in the region.

This inventory is therefore to assess how the changes in the Auckland region have impacted on emissions in the region. The main sources of air pollution in Auckland are from transport, domestic sources and industrial discharges. Emissions for 2016 and trends from these sources have been reported separately using the best available activity data and emission factors. This inventory is to summarise and integrate these reports to present an overall picture of air emissions and trends.

Auckland Council technical report, TR2019/024

December 2019