How much of UK carbon dioxide emissions are

associated with electricity generation

UK carbon dioxide emissions

In 2020 the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the resulting restrictions brought in across the UK had a major impact on various aspects of society and the economy and this has had a significant impact on greenhouse gas emissions in the UK over this period.

• Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in the UK are provisionally estimated to have fallen by 10.7% in 2020 from 2019, to 326.1 million tons (Mt), and total greenhouse gas emissions by 8.9% to 414.1 million tons carbon dioxide equivalent (MtCO2e). Total greenhouse gas emissions were 48.8% lower than they were in 1990.

• This large fall in 2020 is primarily due to the large reduction in the use of road transport during the nationwide lockdowns and the reduction in business activity.

CO2 emissions from transport fell 19.6% in 2020, accounting for over half of the overall fall from 2019, and in the business sector they fell by 8.7%. Conversely, CO2 emissions from the residential sector increased by 1.8% as more people stayed at home. CO2 emissions from the energy supply sector fell by 11.9% following lower demand during the pandemic and the continued reduction in fossil fuel use in power stations. UK territorial greenhouse gas emissions, 1990-2020

What you need to know about these statistics:

This publication provides provisional estimates of 2020 UK territorial greenhouse gas emissions, meaning emissions that occur within the UK’s borders. Emissions are presented in carbon dioxide equivalent units (CO2e) throughout this statistical release. These estimates give an early indication of emissions in 2020 and are subject to revision when final estimates are published in February 2022. They also include estimates of quarterly emissions and the impact on emissions of external temperature changes.

These high-level sectors are made up of several more detailed sectors, which follow the definitions set out by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and which are used in international reporting tables which are submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) every year. It is important to note that these figures are based on provisional energy data and are subject to change. The sectorial breakdown is given mainly for information, and is included in the publication for completeness, but sectorial estimates are more uncertain than the overall total. These estimates cover the Kyoto “basket” of seven gases: carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), hydro fluorocarbons (HFC), per fluorocarbons (PFC), sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) and nitrogen trifluoride (NF3). The last four gases are collectively referred to as fluorinated gases or F gases. In accordance with international reporting and carbon trading protocols, emissions from each of the gases is weighted by its global warming potential (GWP), so that total greenhouse gas emissions can be reported on a consistent basis. The GWP for each gas is defined as its warming influence relation to that of carbon dioxide over a 100-year period. Greenhouse gas emissions are then presented in carbon dioxide equivalent units (CO2e). Carbon dioxide is reported in terms of net emissions, which means total emissions minus total removals of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by carbon sinks. Carbon sinks are defined by the UNFCCC as “any process, activity or mechanism which removes a greenhouse gas, an aerosol or a precursor of a greenhouse gas from the atmosphere”. The provisional estimates are not used for any formal reporting of how the UK is performing against its emissions reduction targets, as this requires final estimates based on the UK’s greenhouse gas inventory. However, these statistics give policy makers and other users an initial steer as to the trend in emissions between 2019 and 2020, which helps them to form an initial assessment of the extent to which the UK is on track to meet targets.

In 2020, the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the resulting restrictions brought in across the UK had a major impact on various aspects of UK society and the economy. There are a range of statistics available from across the UK government and the devolved administrations showing the impact it has had, including profound changes to travel and economic activity4,5. As a result, COVID-19 will have had a significant impact on greenhouse gas emissions in the UK in 2020, in particular from transport and from businesses, although it is not possible to identify the exact size of this effect as other factors will have also played a part in the changes seen during 2020. Territorial carbon dioxide emissions are provisionally estimated to have fallen by 10.7% (39.0 Mt) in 2020 from 2019, and total greenhouse gas emissions by 8.9% (40.7 MtCO2e). This is the largest proportional fall in UK greenhouse gas emissions in a single year since the start of the data series in 1990, slightly larger than the 8.6% fall seen in 2009 during the recession, although in absolute terms there were larger emission reductions in 2009 (of 56.1 MtCO2e) and 2011 (of 45.5 MtCO2e). At 414.1 MtCO2e, greenhouse gas emissions in the UK in 2020 were 48.8% lower than in 1990. Because these provisional estimates are based on energy data it is only possible to make estimates of carbon dioxide emissions from different source sectors and not estimates of other gases, so the rest of this section presents the trends in carbon dioxide emissions. Emissions were particularly reduced during the second quarter of 2020, from April to June, when carbon dioxide emissions fell by 24.6% from the same period the year before. This followed the nationwide lockdown that began on 23 March 2020, when many businesses were closed and people were instructed to stay at home as much as possible. Transport was particularly affected, with emissions falling by 43.9% compared to the same quarter the previous year, largely as a result of the large fall in the use of road transport6. During the second half of the year when there were fewer restrictions in place emissions did not fall to the same extent, with carbon dioxide emissions 8.0% lower than in the second half of 2019.

The combustion of fuel releases both energy and carbon dioxide. The amount of carbon dioxide released by the production of one unit of power depends on the type of fuel that is burned. For example, since coal has a higher carbon content than gas, more carbon dioxide emissions result from burning one ton of coal to generate a unit of power than from one ton of gas. Emissions per unit of electricity supplied from fossil fuels are estimated to have been around 400 tons of carbon dioxide per gigawatt hour (GWh) overall in 2020 in the UK. Within this, emissions from electricity generated from coal (1,010 tons of carbon dioxide per GWh electricity supplied) were over twice as high as for electricity supplied by gas (370 tons of carbon dioxide per GWh). For all sources of electricity (including nuclear, renewables and auto generation), the average amount of carbon dioxide emitted in 2020 amounted to 180 tons per GWh of electricity supplied. In 2020, total territorial carbon dioxide emissions from the use of fossil fuels, including fuel used for generating electricity, were estimated at 301.5 Mt. This was 11.3% lower than the 2019 figure of 339.8 Mt. The biggest change in emissions was from the use of petroleum, down 25.3 Mt (17.2%) from 146.7 Mt in 2019 to 121.4 Mt in 2020. This largely resulted from the reduction in road transport in the UK during the nationwide lockdown periods. Coal use also decreased, down 1.8 Mt (15.0%) in 2020, mostly due to the reduced use of coal for electricity generation. Over the period 1990 to 2020, carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels decreased by 46.4%. Over the same period, primary consumption of fossil fuels dropped by 36.2%. This relatively large decrease in emissions can be attributed to a large decrease in the use of coal accompanied by an increase in the use of gas. Territorial carbon dioxide emissions from gas as a proportion of all carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels has increased from 26.0% in 1990 to 56.4% in 2020, whilst emissions from coal as a proportion of all fossil fuel carbon dioxide emissions has decreased from 38.9% to 3.3% over the same period. Oil was responsible for 35.2% of carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels in 1990 and this has increased to 40.3% in 2020.

Frequently Asked Questions( FAQs)

What percentage of CO2 emissions are from electricity?

The combustion of fossil fuels for power generation accounts for more than 40% of all energy-related CO2 emissions. At some point in their lives, all power producing methods generate greenhouse gases. Nuclear fission generates no CO2.

What is the UK's largest source of carbon emissions?

Because using fossil fuels to generate power is the largest source of carbon emissions in the UK, it is critical that we phase out fossil fuels as soon as feasible, transitioning to a 100% renewable future by 2050.

What proportion of UK CO2 emissions are driven by domestic energy use?

In 2020, it was anticipated that 24% of net greenhouse gas emissions in the UK will come from transportation, 21% from energy supply, 18% from business, 16% from residential, and 11% from agricultural.

How many pounds of CO2 is produced by electricity?

Home electricity consumption -The national average carbon dioxide production rate for electricity generated in 2019 was 884.2 lbs CO2 per megawatt-hour (EPA 2021), which equates to about 953.7 lbs. CO2 per megawatt-hour for delivered power, assuming 7.3% transmission and distribution losses (EIA 2020b; EPA 2021).

What is the largest source of CO2 emissions?

Using fossil fuels -Almost all of the rise in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere over the last 150 years has been attributed to human activity. In the United States, the main source of greenhouse gas emissions from human activity is the use of fossil fuels for power, heat, and transportation.

What are the top 3 contributors to CO2 emissions?

Globally, the primary sources of greenhouse gas emissions are electricity and heat (31%), agriculture (11%), transportation (15%), forestry (6%) and manufacturing (12%).

What is the UK's most polluting industry?

Industry of Fuel and Energy -For example, as of 2021, gas accounted for over half of all energy generated in the United Kingdom. Furthermore, 87% of UK families heat their houses using natural gas, often through a gas boiler, which is the current heat source in an estimated 22 million homes.

Is the United Kingdom a major polluter?

The UK financial business generates 1.8 times more emissions than the whole UK by supporting harmful projects all over the world. The industry was responsible for 805 million tons of CO2 emissions in 2019. To put it in context, it is larger than most countries.

How much CO2 does the United Kingdom release in comparison to the rest of the world?

Total worldwide CO2 emissions are estimated to be over 34 million tons per year, or 4.3 tons per year for each of the world's 8 billion people. As a result, the UK's average of 20 tons per person per year is more than double the global norm.

What causes the UK's carbon emissions?

The most significant source of emissions is electricity and heat, which are generated by the use of fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and gas, which are still used in most power plants and households. Transportation (including vehicles, aircraft, and ships), industry and construction, and agriculture are the other three major sources.

What are the five major sources of carbon footprint?

Food, consumption, transportation, and domestic energy are the key contributions to carbon footprints. Food, particularly meat, contributes significantly to carbon footprints. Beef is one of the most major sources to greenhouse gas emissions in the livestock industry.

How much does electricity contribute to global warming?

The use of fossil fuels to generate electricity or heat accounts for nearly half of all global warming emissions. Industry in general, including the production of cement, steel, plastics, and chemicals, accounts for 78 percent of greenhouse gases, which build in the atmosphere and trap excess heat.

Who are the top 7 polluters in the world?

Top Seven Polluters

• China, with more than 10,065 million tons of CO2 released.

• United States, with 5,416 million tons of CO2.

• India, with 2,654 million tons of CO2.

• Russia, with 1,711 million tons of CO2.

• Japan, 1,162 million tons of CO2.

• Germany, 759 million tons of CO2.

• Iran, 720 million tons of CO2.

What are the three most serious ecological challenges in the United Kingdom today?

Air pollution, climate change, trash, waste, and soil contamination are all caused by human activities in the UK.

Where does the United Kingdom stand in terms of climate change?

The United Kingdom has a moderate ranking in the Renewable Energy and Climate Policy categories, as well as high scores in GHG Emissions and Energy Use.

What is the carbon footprint of energy in the United Kingdom?

The yearly CO2e emissions for the electricity you consume at home with an average supplier would be roughly 2.6 tons per year. The UK government publishes data on carbon emissions for dwellings based on an average energy fuel mix. These statistics will be 0.193 kg of CO2e per kWh of electricity and 0.183 kg per kWh of gas in 2022.

Which country will have zero carbon emissions by the year 2050?

Carolina Schmidt, Chile's Minister of Environment, stated that 73 UNFCCC parties, 14 regions, 398 cities, 768 firms, and 16 investors are trying to achieve net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050.

Do aircraft emit more pollution than cars?

Planes continue to be a contradictory mode of transportation. Air traffic amounts for less than 2-3% of worldwide CO2 emissions, while road travel accounts for around 10% of these direct emissions. Nonetheless, aircraft, along with vehicles, are among the most polluting modes of transportation.

Which UK city has the best quality of life?

• Reading. ...

• Southampton. ...

• Glasgow. ...

• Bristol. ...

• Liverpool. ...

• Leeds. ...

• Oxford. ...

• Cambridge. Another city known the world over as being home to one of the most prestigious universities, Cambridge has long been at the top of the list for places to live in the UK.

Which city in the United Kingdom has the cleanest air?

Looking at these regions in further detail, Midlothian in Scotland takes the top spot for having the cleanest air in the UK, with an average value of just 5.1g - half of the WHO objective of 10g.

What is the most serious environmental concern in the United Kingdom?

Pollution of the air - The most important local problems in the United Kingdom are air pollution and floods. Species extinction is also occurring at an alarming rate, and local soil and water degradation is occurring as a result of industrial activities and waste dumping.

Will global warming make the UK hotter or colder?

What impact will climate change have? According to the Met Office, as the world heats, the UK will see hotter, drier summers and warmer, wetter winters. Extreme weather events such as heat waves and torrential rains may become more often and powerful.

Which county in the United Kingdom has the nicest weather?

According to Met Office data, Sussex is the sunniest county in the United Kingdom. The western half of the county has had an average of 1902 hours of sunlight each year during the previous 29 years.

When does the UK hope to achieve carbon neutrality?

The GPA's Net Zero Program is driving the government's goal of reaching net zero by 2050. The Climate Change Act of 2008 is the United Kingdom's strategy for decreasing emissions and preparing for climate change. It established a legislative objective of reducing UK greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by at least 80% (compared to 1990 levels) by 2050.

What is the UK's driest city?

Shoeburyness, in the Greater Thames Estuary, is at the top of the list. This town has the driest climate in the UK, with an annual average of 527mm of rain – the lowest number among Met Office climate stations.

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