UK Greenhouse Gas Emissions Drop to Historic Low
Preliminary analysis shows UK emissions fell by 3.6% in 2024, reaching levels not seen since the Victorian era.
The UK's greenhouse gas emissions fell to the lowest level since 1872 in 2024, according to preliminary analysis by Carbon Brief, a climate and energy information platform.
The analysis indicates the country’s emissions decreased by 3.6% to 371 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (MtCO2e) last year, marking the lowest emissions since the reign of Queen Victoria.
This decline aligns with historical emissions levels comparable to those recorded in 1926 during a general strike.
A significant contributing factor to this reduction has been the decrease in coal usage, which reached its lowest levels since 1666, the year of the Great Fire of London.
This downturn in coal reliance followed the closure of the UK's last coal-fired power station, Ratcliffe-on-Soar in Nottinghamshire, and one of the last blast furnaces at the Port Talbot steelworks in Wales, both of which ceased operations in September 2023.
Additionally, the analysis highlights a drop in demand for oil and gas, alongside a nearly 40% increase in the number of electric vehicles (EVs) on British roads.
Favorable climatic conditions, including above-average temperatures, and unprecedented levels of clean energy generation have also played a role in this reduction.
However, it was noted that gas demand for heating increased as prices dropped from their peaks, which were triggered by the global energy crisis following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Despite this temporary rise in heating demand, overall gas consumption declined due to higher electricity imports and increased output from low-carbon energy sources.
The research forms part of an ongoing series of annual estimates by Carbon Brief and indicates that the UK’s territorial greenhouse gas emissions have decreased in 26 of the past 35 years.
Current emissions levels are reported to be 54% below those of 1990, while the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) has grown by 84% over the same period.
In accordance with its UN climate commitments, the UK aims to achieve an economy-wide emissions reduction of at least 81% by 2035 compared to 1990 levels and aspires to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, meaning all emissions would be balanced by the amount of greenhouse gases removed from the atmosphere.
Despite the progress made, Carbon Brief indicated that the UK would need to achieve greater annual cuts in emissions than those recorded in 2024 to meet its 2035 and 2050 climate objectives.
The analysis indicates the country’s emissions decreased by 3.6% to 371 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (MtCO2e) last year, marking the lowest emissions since the reign of Queen Victoria.
This decline aligns with historical emissions levels comparable to those recorded in 1926 during a general strike.
A significant contributing factor to this reduction has been the decrease in coal usage, which reached its lowest levels since 1666, the year of the Great Fire of London.
This downturn in coal reliance followed the closure of the UK's last coal-fired power station, Ratcliffe-on-Soar in Nottinghamshire, and one of the last blast furnaces at the Port Talbot steelworks in Wales, both of which ceased operations in September 2023.
Additionally, the analysis highlights a drop in demand for oil and gas, alongside a nearly 40% increase in the number of electric vehicles (EVs) on British roads.
Favorable climatic conditions, including above-average temperatures, and unprecedented levels of clean energy generation have also played a role in this reduction.
However, it was noted that gas demand for heating increased as prices dropped from their peaks, which were triggered by the global energy crisis following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Despite this temporary rise in heating demand, overall gas consumption declined due to higher electricity imports and increased output from low-carbon energy sources.
The research forms part of an ongoing series of annual estimates by Carbon Brief and indicates that the UK’s territorial greenhouse gas emissions have decreased in 26 of the past 35 years.
Current emissions levels are reported to be 54% below those of 1990, while the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) has grown by 84% over the same period.
In accordance with its UN climate commitments, the UK aims to achieve an economy-wide emissions reduction of at least 81% by 2035 compared to 1990 levels and aspires to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, meaning all emissions would be balanced by the amount of greenhouse gases removed from the atmosphere.
Despite the progress made, Carbon Brief indicated that the UK would need to achieve greater annual cuts in emissions than those recorded in 2024 to meet its 2035 and 2050 climate objectives.
