In 2021, net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the United Kingdom (UK) were 427 million tonnes (Mt) carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e), 80% of which was carbon dioxide (CO2) itself.[1] Emissions increased by 5% in 2021 with the easing of COVID-19 restrictions, primarily due to the extra road transport.[1] The UK has over time emitted about 3% of the world total human caused CO2, with a current rate under 1%, although the population is less than 1%.[2]
Emissions decreased in the 2010s due to the closure of almost all coal-fired power stations.[3] In 2020 emissions per person were somewhat over 6 tonnes when measured by the international standard production based greenhouse gas inventory,[4] near the global average.[5] But consumption based emissions include GHG due to imports and aviation so are much larger,[6] about 10 tonnes per person per year.[7]
The UK has committed to carbon neutrality by 2050.[8] The target for 2030 is a 68% reduction compared with 1990 levels.[9] The UK has been successful in keeping its economic growth alongside taking climate change action. Since 1990, the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions have reduced by 44% while the economy has grown by around 75% up until 2019.[10] One of the methods of reducing emissions is the UK Emissions Trading Scheme.[11]
Meeting future carbon budgets will require reducing emissions by at least 3% a year. At the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference the Prime Minister said the government would not be "lagging on lagging", but in 2022 the opposition said Britain was badly behind in such home insulation.[12] The Committee on Climate Change, an independent body which advises the UK and devolved government, has recommended hundreds of actions to the government,[13] including better energy efficiency, such as in housing.[14][15]
- ^ a b "2021 UK Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Final Figures" (PDF). BEIS. 7 February 2023.
- ^ "Analysis: Which countries are historically responsible for climate change?". Carbon Brief. 5 October 2021. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
- ^ Harrabin, Roger (5 February 2019). "Climate change: UK CO2 emissions fall again". Retrieved 5 January 2020.
- ^ "Final UK greenhouse gas emissions national statistics: 1990 to 2019". gov.uk. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
- ^ Ritchie, Hannah; Roser, Max; Rosado, Pablo (11 May 2020). "CO₂ and Greenhouse Gas Emissions". Our World in Data.
- ^ "Carbon footprint for the UK and England to 2019". GOV.UK. Retrieved 24 August 2022.
- ^ "UK average footprint". www.carbonindependent.org. Retrieved 24 August 2022.
- ^ Harrabin, Roger (12 June 2019). "UK commits to 'net zero' emissions by 2050". BBC News. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
- ^ "UK sets ambitious new climate target ahead of UN Summit". gov.ul. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
- ^ "2019 Progress Report to Parliament". Climate Change Committee. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
- ^ Ng, Gabriel (23 January 2021). "Introducing the UK Emissions Trading System". Cherwell. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
- ^ "Where Britain's journey to insulation went wrong". the Guardian. 19 April 2022. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
- ^ "2022 Progress Report to Parliament". Climate Change Committee. Retrieved 24 August 2022.
- ^ "UK Scales Back £1 Billion Funding to Help Homes Cut Energy Use". Bloomberg.com. 29 July 2022. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
- ^ "UK must insulate homes or face a worse energy crisis in 2023, say experts". the Guardian. 11 September 2022. Retrieved 12 September 2022.