UK

The UK Government released figures yesterday confirming that greenhouse gas emissions fell 1.9% in 2008 and will far exceed targets set by the Kyoto Protocol.

The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) statistics show that the six greenhouse gases covered by the Kyoto Protocol fell last year to 628.3 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent (CO2e).

While emissions from the energy sector and transport have fallen around 3% and over double (7.3%) from industrial processes, emissions from the residential sector rose 3.1%.

“We are now clearly exceeding our Kyoto target of 12.5% below 1990 levels,” says Minister for Energy and Climate Change, Joan Ruddock.

According to the report, UK emissions are now 19.4% below 1990 levels not including emissions trading and 22% below including trading.

“The UK is demonstrating the kind of year-on-year reductions that set an example in the world community,” says Ruddock.

The report puts the decrease down to the switch from coal to natural gas and lower fossil fuel consumption by industry and the transport sector. And the recession is likely to be playing a key role.

Meanwhile, the figures also indicate that emissions from international aviation, not covered by the Protocol, have more than doubled between 1990 and 2008. Current CO₂ emission levels from UK aviation are 3.7% below 2005 – but the Government has recently set a target for the sector requiring levels no higher than in 2005 by 2050.

Emissions from shipping are also reported to have increased over 10% on the previous year.

The recession’s squeeze on energy demand is good news for the UK’s target for achieving 15% of its energy from renewable resources by 2020.

According to energy forecasts submitted to the EU, the UK will struggle to meet its 15% goal if energy demand does not remain at low or moderate levels.

Interim targets over the next six years will cause problems, says a Reuters report. The UK is supposed to reach 4% renewables in 2011-12, rising to 5.4% in 2013-14, 7.5% in 2015-16 and 10.2% in 2017-18.

The UK’s only hope to reach its targets may now be joint projects with other EU countries – as well as a continued lack of demand.

For further information:
www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/statistics/climate_change/gg_emissions/uk_emissions/2008_final/2008_final.aspx
http://europa.eu/

Related stories:
Global CO₂ emissions from fossil fuels up 29% since 2000 (18-Nov 2009)
UK on track to double Kyoto greenhouse gas reduction target (5-Jun 2009)
Europe commits to 20-20-20 target but with get out clause for big polluters (15-Dec 2008)