Greenhouse gas emissions across the United Kingdom fell by 3% in 2018, according to new figures published by the country’s government this week, bringing the country’s total emissions decrease since 1990 up to 44%.
The UK’s Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) published its provisional UK greenhouse gas emissions figures this week, revealing that total greenhouse gas emissions in the UK fell to 449 megatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (MtCO2e), a yearly decline of 3% and down 44% from the 800 MtCO2e recorded in 1990.
By sector, energy supply saw the largest decline in 2018 with a drop of 7% — including a 10% drop in power sector emissions, driven by the continued shift away from coal, which only provided 5% of the country’s electricity in 2018.
Carbon dioxide emissions fell 2% in 2018, down to 364 MtCO2e, bringing the total from 1990 up to 39%.
Overall, this puts the UK well on track to meet its target of reducing emissions on 1990 levels by 80% by 2050 though, with coal almost excluded from the equation, other industries and sectors will need to step up their pace of decarbonization to ensure the country stays on track.
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