Greenhouse gas emissions by the United Kingdom


In 2017 net greenhouse gas emissions in the United Kingdom were 464 million tonnes CO2 equivalent. Emission in the UK decreased in the 2010s due to the closure of almost all coal-fired power stations, but as of 2018 emissions per person were still above the world average.
The UK has committed to carbon neutrality by 2050 and the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit has said it would be affordable. However,as of 2020 the UK was not on track for its 2030 commitments of 61% of 1990 levels. As part of an economic stimulus to attempt to get out of the coronavirus recession a green industrial policy is being considered.
Before Brexit, policies to decrease emmissions were covered by the Nationally Determined Contributions mechanism in the European Union, however, the government has yet to produce a new post-Brexit plan.

Current targets

The Climate Change Act 2008 set the country's emission reduction targets. The "legally binding" targets are a reduction of at least 100% by 2050.
It also mandates interim, 5-year budgets. The first five are as follows:
BudgetCarbon budget levelReduction below 1990 levels
1st carbon budget 3,018 MtCO2e25%
2nd carbon budget 2,782 MtCO2e31%
3rd carbon budget 2,544 MtCO2e37% by 2020
4th carbon budget 1,950 MtCO2e51% by 2025
5th carbon budget 1,725 MtCO2e57% by 2030

The European Union has its own emissions target, which helps to direct the European Union Emission Trading Scheme. whether the UK carbon market will be linked to the EU ETS has not yet been decided.

Criticism of targets

Production targets have been criticised for ignoring the emissions embodied in imports, thereby attributing them to other countries, such as China. One report showed that Britain's imports are responsible for more overseas emissions than those of any other European country, and should add an extra 4.3 tonnes to the average 5.4 tonnes per capita.

Past performance

The graph above shows the annual figures for carbon dioxide emissions since 1990. It excludes carbon emissions from international aviation and international shipping, which together rose by 74.2% from 22.65 to 39.45 million tonnes of carbon dioxide between 1990 and 2004. Reductions in methane emissions are largely due to a decline in the country's coal industry and to improved landfilling technologies.