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Greenhouse gas emissions
Total UK greenhouse gas emissions in million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent. The UK has a legally binding net zero target for 2050.
343 MtCO₂e
-4.2% vs 2023
As of 2024
Historical trend
Trend summary
UK greenhouse gas emissions were 394.2 MtCO₂e in 2023 (provisional), a 5.5% decrease from 2022 and approximately 51% below the 1990 baseline of 810 MtCO₂e.
Trend
- Emissions fell from 810 MtCO₂e in 1990 to a low of 392 MtCO₂e in 2020, rose slightly in 2021–22 as the economy recovered from COVID-19, then fell again to 394 MtCO₂e in 2023.
- The largest sectoral decline since 1990 has been in electricity generation, driven by the rapid phase-out of coal power from around 2015 onwards.
- Transport remains the largest single emitting sector, with road transport emissions still close to pre-pandemic levels.
Context
- DESNZ publishes provisional and final UK greenhouse gas emissions annually; figures use GWP100 values from the IPCC Fifth Assessment Report.
- Figures include all six Kyoto greenhouse gases but exclude international aviation and shipping, which are accounted for separately.
Official projections
The Climate Change Committee's Seventh Carbon Budget (2025) sets a 2040 target of 78% below 1990 levels; the CCC has assessed that current policies are insufficient to meet the 2030 Nationally Determined Contribution.
Commentary contains no editorial judgement — describes direction, magnitude, and official projections only.
G7 comparison
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
343 MtCO₂e
🇮🇹 Italy
374 MtCO₂e
🇫🇷 France
385 MtCO₂e
🇨🇦 Canada
670 MtCO₂e
🇩🇪 Germany
673 MtCO₂e
🇯🇵 Japan
1135 MtCO₂e
🇺🇸 United States
5600 MtCO₂e