Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Commitments
Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Commitments
The UK’s overall basket of greenhouse gas emissions decreased by 9.5% in 2020, while the net CO 2 emissions decreased by 10.6% - the largest single drop seen in either measure to date. As the decrease was caused by coronavirus restrictions, it is unlikely to be representative of the trend. To 2020, the UK’s basket of GHG emissions had decreased by 49.7% and CO 2 emissions by 47% making carbon emissions 37% lower than the Third Carbon Budget target of 509.75 MtCO 2 e/year, at 321.09 MtCO 2 e/year. While energy sector emissions have shown the most significant long-term trend of decreasing emissions, in 2020, the transport sector saw the largest year-on-year emissions decrease at 19.2%. Despite this large decrease in emissions, the transport sector remains the UK’s largest sectoral source of GHG emissions.
MtCO 2 e
Net CO2 emissions Net CO 2 emissions
GHG Basket
100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800
Kyoto 1
Kyoto 2
Carbon Budget 1
Carbon Budget 2
Carbon Budget 3
Paris Agreement NDC
Carbon Budget 4
Carbon Budget 5
Carbon Budget 6
Net Zero
0
2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 2045 2050
Source: BEIS / EC / CCC
UK GHG Emissions, by Source
MtCO 2 e UK GHG Emissions, by Source Energy Transport
Business
Residential
Other
250
200
150
100
50
0
2000
2005
2010
2015
2020
Source: BEIS
25 | Statistical Review | 2022
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