Car ownership is driving up household emissions

Victoria university climate scientist James Renwick says New Zealand has one of the highest rates of car ownership in the world, and a culture of buying second hand cars.

New figures from Stats NZ show household emissions increased almost 20-percent between 2007 and 2017, due to increased road travel.

Renwick says there needs to be more public transport available, and changes towards newer, more efficient vehicles.

He would like the government to offer incentives for people to buy newer vehicles and tax subsidies for buyers of electric vehicles.