e-Digest Statistics about: Climate Change
UK Emissions of Carbon Dioxide, Methane and Nitrous Oxide by National Communication Source Category
Carbon Dioxide
million tonnes |
||||||||
| 1990 | 1995 | 2000 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transport | 110 |
111 |
116 |
118 |
119 |
120 |
120 |
122 |
| Energy Supply | 243 |
211 |
203 |
218 |
216 |
216 |
219 |
215 |
| Business | 108 |
103 |
104 |
95 |
93 |
92 |
91 |
88 |
| Residential | 80 |
81 |
87 |
87 |
88 |
85 |
81 |
78 |
| Other | 49 |
45 |
42 |
40 |
41 |
42 |
41 |
42 |
| Total (excluding LUCF) | 590 |
552 |
551 |
557 |
558 |
555 |
553 |
544 |
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Carbon dioxide is the main man-made contributor to global warming. The UK contributes about 2 per cent to global man-made emissions, which, according to the IPCC, were estimated to be 38 billion tonnes carbon dioxide in 2004. Carbon dioxide accounted for about 85 per cent of the UK’s man-made greenhouse gas emissions in 2007.
In 2007, 40 per cent of carbon dioxide emissions were from the energy supply sector, 22 per cent from road transport, 17 per cent from business and 14 per cent from residential fossil fuel use. Since 1990, emissions from road transport have increased by 11 per cent, while emissions from the energy supply industry have reduced by 12 per cent and business emissions have reduced by 19 per cent.
Since 2006, emissions from road transport have risen by 1 per cent, whilst emissions from energy supply, business and residential fossil fuel use have fallen by 2, 3 and 5 per cent respectively.
Methane
million tonnes |
||||||||
1990 |
1995 |
2000 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Landfill | 2.4 |
2.1 |
1.5 |
1.1 |
1.0 |
1.0 |
1.0 |
1.0 |
| Agriculture | 1.1 |
1.0 |
1.0 |
0.9 |
0.9 |
0.9 |
0.9 |
0.9 |
| Gas leakage | 0.4 |
0.4 |
0.3 |
0.2 |
0.2 |
0.2 |
0.2 |
0.2 |
| Coal Mines | 0.9 |
0.6 |
0.3 |
0.3 |
0.2 |
0.2 |
0.2 |
0.1 |
| Other | 0.3 |
0.3 |
0.2 |
0.2 |
0.2 |
0.1 |
0.1 |
0.2 |
| Total | 5.0 |
4.3 |
3.3 |
2.6 |
2.5 |
2.4 |
2.4 |
2.3 |
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Weighted by global warming potential, methane accounted for about 8 per cent of the UK's greenhouse gas emissions in 2007.
Methane emissions, excluding those from natural sources, were 53 per cent below 1990 levels. In 2007, the main sources of methane were landfill sites (41 per cent of the total) and agriculture (38 per cent).
Nitrous Oxide
thousand tonnes |
||||||||
| 1990 | 1995 | 2000 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture | 107 |
102 |
97 |
90 |
90 |
89 |
85 |
82 |
| Industrial processes | 80 |
48 |
18 |
9 |
12 |
9 |
8 |
9 |
| Road transport | 4 |
8 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
| Other | 18 |
16 |
15 |
15 |
15 |
15 |
16 |
15 |
| Total | 208 |
173 |
135 |
120 |
121 |
117 |
113 |
110 |
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Weighted by global warming potential, nitrous oxide emissions accounted for about 5 per cent of the UK's man-made greenhouse gas emissions in 2007.
Nitrous oxide emissions fell by 47 per cent between 1990 and 2007. The largest reductions were in emissions from adipic acid production between 1998 and 1999 which is seen reflected in the reduction of total industrial processes between 1998 and 1999. This leaves agriculture as the main source, accounting for over two thirds of emissions, mainly from agricultural soils.- Source:
- AEA Energy and Environment
Further Information:
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Page last modified: 2 February 2009
Page published: 31 January 2008