Recession helps UK emissions fall by more than eight per cent

Greenwise Staff

28th March 2010

Provisional figures show that greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) fell 8.6 per cent in the UK in 2009 compared to 2008, mainly due to the recent worldwide economic recession.

According to statistics published this week by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), UK emissions of the six GHG covered by the Kyoto Protocol were provisionally estimated to be 574.6 million tonnes (Mt) carbon dioxide equivalent in 2009, compared to 628.3 million tonnes in 2008.

The Government said the decrease in CO2 emissions last year was mainly due to the economy contracting, which resulted in an overall reduction in demand for electricity, together with lower fossil fuel consumption by businesses and households.
However, DECC described the figures as “promising”.

CO2 emissions fall by almost 10 per cent

Emissions from the biggest GHG, CO2, fell overall by almost 10 per cent, from 532.8 Mt in 2008 to 489.9 Mt in 2009, with all the main sectors seeing decreases. Transport, which has been seeing the most rapid growth in CO2, saw a 6.5 per cent drop in emissions, while energy supply, the biggest polluting sector, saw emissions fall by 11.3 per cent.

Carbon emissions from the business sector fell back by 15.2 per cent, while households saw a more modest 4.9 per cent drop.

"We already know from our 2008 figures that we are well on track to exceeding our Kyoto target of 12.5 per cent 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,” said Joan Ruddock, Minister for Energy and Climate Change.

"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.”