UK Government Reports 8.6% Drop In Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Commenting on today’s publication of the final estimates of UK greenhouse gas emissions, Minister for Energy and Climate Change, Joan Ruddock, said:
“Today’s provisional estimates for 2009 greenhouse gas emissions are very promising and show a continued decline in greenhouse gas emissions of 8.6% during 2009.”
“We already know from our 2008 figures that we are well on track to exceeding our Kyoto target of 12.5% below 1990 levels and are making good progress towards our first carbon budget target in 2012. Today’s results indicate that we are still moving in the right direction.
“The significant reduction in emissions would no doubt have been impacted by the recent economic circumstances. However, we should still recognise the good progress we are making towards meeting our targets, and should not underestimate the effort made so far by government, industry, business and homeowners alike. We are determined to continue to strengthen and sustain the momentum behind the low-carbon transition in the UK.
“We have said before in response to the Committee on Climate Change that we will not carry forward any over-achievement resulting from the recession against the first carbon budget and will not be deterred from continuing to work towards a low carbon economy in the UK. There will be no let-up in implementing the measures set out in the Low Carbon Transition Plan, so that emissions reductions persist as the UK returns to trend growth.”
DECC today publishes provisional 2009 estimates of UK greenhouse gas emissions, together with final estimates of 2008 UK greenhouse gas emissions by fuel type and end-user.
Greenhouse gas emissions – 2009 headline results
- In 2009, UK emissions of the basket of six greenhouse gases covered by the Kyoto Protocol were provisionally estimated to be 574.6 million tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent. This was 8.6 per cent lower than the 2008 figure of 628.3 million tonnes.
- Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the main greenhouse gas, accounting for about 85 per cent of total UK greenhouse gas emissions in 2008, the latest year for which final results are available. In 2009, UK net emissions of carbon dioxide were provisionally estimated to be 480.9 million tonnes (Mt). This was 9.8 per cent lower than the 2008 figure of 532.8 Mt.
- Between 2008 and 2009, there were significant decreases in CO2 emissions from all the main sectors. The provisional estimates show decreases in emissions of 11.3 per cent (23.7 Mt) from the energy supply sector, 15.3 per cent (13.1 Mt) from the business sector, 6.5 per cent (8.5 Mt) from the transport sector, and 4.9 per cent (4.0 Mt) from the residential sector. All these sectoral breakdowns are based on the source of the emissions, as opposed to where the end-user activity occurred. Emissions related to electricity generation are therefore attributed to power stations, the source of these emissions, rather than homes and businesses where electricity is used.
- The decrease in CO2 emissions between 2008 and 2009 resulted primarily from a significant fall in energy consumption, combined with fuel switching from coal to nuclear for electricity generation. As the UK economy contracted during 2009, this resulted in an overall reduction in demand for electricity, together with lower fossil fuel consumption by businesses and households.
- There was a decrease in CO2 emissions from power stations of 13.1 per cent (22.7 Mt) between 2008 and 2009, resulting partly from a fall in demand and partly from less coal and more nuclear power being used to generate electricity.
2008 2009(p) Change
Total greenhouse gas emissions 628.3 574.6 -8.6%
Net carbon dioxide emissions 532.8 480.9 -9.8%
Further information on climate change statistics, including Excel downloads of all the data used to compile this statistical release, can be found on the DECC website at:
http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/statistics/climate_change/gg_emissions/uk_emissions/uk_emissions.aspx
The Department of Energy and Climate Change is central to the UK Government’s leadership on climate change. We are pushing hard internationally for ambitious effective and fair action to avert the most dangerous impacts.
Through our UK Low Carbon Transition Plan we are giving householders and businesses the incentives and advice they need to cut their emissions, we are enabling the energy sector’s shift to the trinity of renewables, new nuclear and clean coal, and we are stepping up the fight against fuel poverty.
Topics: 2010, Britain, budget, business, clean coal, clean energy, climate change, data, DECC, Department of Energy and Climate Change, Economy, energy, final estimates, fuel poverty, Governance, government, Great Britain, homeowners, industry, information, Joan Ruddock, low carbon economy, Low Carbon Transition Plan, monitor, news, nuclear energy, recession, renewable energy, U.K., UK, UK greenhouse gas emissions, United Kingdom
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