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.
71 MtCO₂e
-2.6% vs previous period
As of 2023
Historical trend
Trend summary
UK greenhouse gas emissions were 394 MtCO₂e in 2023, a 5.3% decrease from the previous year and approximately 53% below the 1990 baseline.
Trend
- UK emissions have fallen in each of the past three years and are around 53% below the 1990 level.
- The largest sectoral decline since 1990 has been in electricity generation, driven by the phase-out of coal power.
- Transport remains the largest emitting sector, with emissions recovering 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.
Trend summary generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 on 28 March 2024. Contains no editorial judgement — describes direction, magnitude, and official projections only.
G7 comparison
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
71 MtCO₂e
🇮🇹 Italy
374 MtCO₂e
🇫🇷 France
385 MtCO₂e
🇨🇦 Canada
670 MtCO₂e
🇩🇪 Germany
673 MtCO₂e
🇯🇵 Japan
1135 MtCO₂e
🇺🇸 United States
5600 MtCO₂e