Work out your diesel emissions
= 53.44 tonnes CO2e in 2026 (Scope 1)
Each litre × 2.672 kg CO2e, the Ministry for the Environment's 2026 figure (Diesel).
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Diesel emission factors in the 2026 guide
| Factor (as the Ministry names it) | Unit | kg CO2e | CO2 | CH4 | N2O |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DieselTransport Fuel › Transport Fuel | per litre | 2.672 | 2.63 | 0.003949 | 0.03737 |
| DieselStationary Combustion of Fuels › Commercial Use | per litre | 2.676 | 2.66 | 0.01024 | 0.005814 |
| DieselStationary Combustion of Fuels › Industrial Use | per litre | 2.669 | 2.66 | 0.003072 | 0.005814 |
CO2, CH4 and N2O are each gas's share of the total, in kg CO2e; a dash means the guide gives no figure for that gas. Every figure is from the 2026 guide; it is the only edition we hold, so there is no year-on-year column.
The Ministry's notes on these figures
- Uncertainty figures are taken from New Zealand's Greenhouse Gas Inventory.
- Uncertainty: CO2e ±1.21%, CO2 ±1.0%, CH4 ±50.0%, N2O ±50.0%.
- Uncertainty: CO2e ±1.02%, CO2 ±1.0%, CH4 ±50.0%, N2O ±50.0%.
- Uncertainty: CO2e ±1.0%, CO2 ±1.0%, CH4 ±50.0%, N2O ±50.0%.
Worked example
Take a fleet of utes and vans using 20,000 litres of diesel a year. 20,000 litres × 2.672 kg CO2e = 53.44 tonnes CO2e, reported as Scope 1.
How to use it
Use the transport row for diesel burned in vehicles you own or lease, and the stationary rows for generators, boilers and plant that do not move. The totals differ slightly because the guide works out vehicle and stationary use separately.
Fuel for your own vehicles and equipment is Scope 1. Diesel in a contractor's trucks or a hire car paid for by the kilometre is not your fuel: report that under Scope 3 with the distance or freight factors instead.
If you only know the money spent, divide by the average pump price for the period to estimate litres, and say in your report that you did. Litres are always better than a spend estimate.
Which rules apply in New Zealand
The Ministry's guide is voluntary guidance for organisations measuring their greenhouse gas emissions, and follows the GHG Protocol and ISO 14064-1. Climate reporting entities under New Zealand's climate-related disclosures regime report under the External Reporting Board's Aotearoa New Zealand Climate Standards, and can use these factors for their Scope 1, 2 and 3 figures. Businesses of any size answering a customer's or a bank's request for emissions data can use them in the same way. Cite the guide and its year next to every figure.
UK companies with sites or staff in New Zealand should use these factors for that activity and the UK government factors for UK activity. In Carbon Recycling, set a site's country to New Zealand and its electricity is reported with the Ministry's factor. See reporting overseas sites for how the rest fits together.
Where to find your own figure
Fuel card statements list litres for every fill. For bulk tanks, use the supplier's delivery dockets and adjust for the change in tank level between the start and end of the year.
Related emission factors
- Electricity (New Zealand): 0.07866 kg CO2e per kWh
- Natural gas (New Zealand): 0.1954 kg CO2e per kWh
- Petrol (New Zealand): 2.361 kg CO2e per litre
- All New Zealand emission factors
- New Zealand grid electricity (Ember's estimate, every year since 2000)
- UK emission factors and other countries
Source: Ministry for the Environment. 2026. Measuring emissions: A guide for organisations: 2026 emission factors (version 2). Crown copyright, licensed under CC BY 4.0. Carbon Recycling is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Ministry; the sums on this page are ours.