Each year, the Ministry for the Environment (MfE) updates New Zealand’s Measuring Emissions Guide to ensure organisations calculate and report greenhouse gas emissions using the latest available data, scientific evidence, and industry methodologies.
For 2026, we have adopted the latest MfE travel emission factors for both accommodation and air travel. These updates help ensure our reporting remains accurate, transparent, and aligned with recognised New Zealand reporting standards.
Changes in reported emissions from one year to the next do not always indicate a change in travel behaviour. In some cases, the underlying emission factors used to calculate emissions have been updated to reflect improved data sources, broader industry coverage, and refinements in methodology.
As a result, emissions associated with accommodation and flights may differ from previous years even when the number of trips, nights stayed, or kilometres travelled remain similar.
The most significant changes in the 2026 Measuring Emissions Guide relate to accommodation emissions.
This year’s update includes a refresh of the hotel emissions dataset used by the Ministry for the Environment, resulting in revised emission factors across a wide range of accommodation types and countries. The update also expands the number of hotels and accommodation providers represented within the underlying benchmarking data.
The expanded dataset provides a more representative view of emissions associated with hotel stays and strengthens the accuracy of accommodation-related emissions reporting.
Air travel emission factors have also been updated for 2026.
Changes to international short-haul and long-haul flight factors reflect updates to aviation activity data, fuel consumption information, passenger loading assumptions, and other industry inputs used to calculate emissions.
While some emission factors have changed, there have been relatively limited changes in emissions associated with individual aircraft types. This means that year-on-year differences are largely the result of updated calculation methodologies and operational data rather than major changes in aircraft technology or fleet composition.
When comparing emissions between reporting years, changes may be influenced by both travel activity and updates to government-approved emission factors.
The 2026 updates improve the accuracy and representativeness of emissions reporting, ensuring calculations continue to align with the latest Ministry for the Environment guidance and international best practice.
The accommodation factors have undergone substantial revision.
Of the comparable accommodation factors:
The most notable change is in international flight factors. International air factors have decreased materially compared with 2025.
| Category | 2025 | 2026 | Change |
| Long-haul average (Over 3,700km) | 0.193 | 0.153 | – 21% |
| Long-haul Economy | 0.148 | 0.117 | – 21% |
| Long-haul Business | 0.429 | 0.339 | – 21% |
| Long-haul First | 0.591 | 0.468 | – 21% |
| Short-haul Average | 0.153 | 0.128 | – 16% |
| Short-haul economy | 0.151 | 0.126 | – 17% |
| Short-haul Business | 0.226 | 0.189 | – 17% |
Domestic aircraft-specific factors have changed very little:
Reductions in international air factors are being driven by updated methodology, passenger loading assumptions, fuel efficiency data and aviation datasets rather than significant changes to individual aircraft types.
Rental car emission factors have remained largely consistent between 2025 and 2026, with only minor adjustments across most vehicle categories.
The updated factors reflect routine annual updates to fuel and energy emissions data published by the Ministry for the Environment. For petrol, diesel, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid vehicles, the changes are small and are not expected to have a material impact on reported emissions.
Electric vehicle factors have decreased more noticeably, reflecting updates to the emissions intensity of electricity generation used in the calculation methodology.
Overall, rental car emissions remain highly comparable with previous reporting years, and any differences are primarily attributable to annual emissions factor updates rather than significant changes in vehicle performance or technology.
As a Toitū carbonreduce certified travel management company, Orbit is committed to helping organisations understand, measure, and manage the emissions associated with business travel.
Our carbon-compatible reporting solutions are aligned with recognised New Zealand emissions reporting standards and incorporate the latest Ministry for the Environment emission factors. This enables organisations to track travel-related emissions with confidence, support sustainability reporting requirements, and identify opportunities to reduce their environmental impact.
Whether you’re beginning your carbon reporting journey or looking to enhance your existing travel emissions programme, Orbit can help you make informed decisions through accurate data, meaningful insights, and expert support.
For more information about our carbon reporting capabilities or how we can you manage your travel programme and associated emissions, please contact the Orbit team.
