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e-Digest Statistics about: Climate Change

UK Emissions of Carbon Dioxide, Methane and Nitrous Oxide by National Communication Source Category

Carbon Dioxide

Carbon Dioxide Sources

million tonnes
1990 1995 2000 2003 2004 2005 2006
Transport
109
111
116
118
119
120
120
Energy Supply
242
208
200
216
215
218
221
Business
109
104
104
95
93
93
92
Residential
80
81
87
87
88
85
81
Other
49
45
42
40
41
42
42
Total (excluding LUCF)
590
549
549
556
557
557
557

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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 2006.

In 2006, 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 15 per cent from residential fossil fuel use. Since 1990, emissions from road transport have increased by 10 per cent, while emissions from the energy supply industry have reduced by 9 per cent and business emissions have reduced by 16 per cent.

Since 2005, emissions from the energy supply industry have risen by 1.5 per cent, whilst residential emissions have fallen by 4 percent.

Methane

Methane emissions by source

million tonnes
1990 1995 2000 2003 2004 2005 2006
Landfill 2.4 2.1 1.5 1.0 0.9 0.9 0.9
Agriculture 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9
Gas leakage 0.4 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2
Coal Mines 0.9 0.6 0.3 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.2
Other 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.1
Total 4.9 4.3 3.3 2.5 2.5 2.4 2.3

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Weighted by global warming potential, methane accounted for about 7.5 per cent of the UK's greenhouse gas emissions in 2006. Methane emissions, excluding those from natural sources, were 53 per cent below 1990 levels. In 2006, the main sources of methane were landfill sites (40 per cent of the total) and agriculture (38 per cent).

Emissions from landfill have reduced by 61 per cent and emissions from agriculture by 13 per cent since 1990.

Nitrous Oxide

Nitrous Oxide emissions by source

million tonnes
1990 1995 2000 2003 2004 2005 2006
Agriculture 106 101 95 89 89 87 83
Industrial processes 80 48 18 9 12 9 8
Road transport 3 7 13 16 16 16 17
Other 17 15 14 14 14 15 16
Total 206 171 141 128 131 128 124

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Weighted by global warming potential, nitrous oxide emissions accounted for about 6 per cent of the UK's man-made greenhouse gas emissions in 2006.

Nitrous oxide emissions fell by 40 per cent between 1990 and 2006. The largest reductions were in emissions from adipic acid production between 1998 and 1999. This leaves agriculture as the main source, accounting for over two thirds of emissions, mainly from agricultural soils.

Nitrous oxide emissions from road transport were more than five times higher in 2006 than in 1990, increasing from 2 per cent of the total to 14 per cent in 2006. This is a result of the introduction of three way catalytic converters, which significantly reduce emissions of various other harmful gases such as carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides, but have a side-effect of producing higher emissions of nitrous oxide.

Source:
AEA Energy and Environment
Further Information:

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Page last modified: 31 January 2008
Page published: 31 January 2008

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs