Sustainable Development
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Sustainable consumption and production

Climate change and energy

 

1. Greenhouse gas emissions*

Greenhouse gas emissions and carbon dioxide emissions, 1990 to 2007

1

Greenhouse gas emissions since: 1990 Green
1999
Green
Carbon dioxide emissions since: 1990 Green 1999
Amber
  • Emissions of the ‘basket’ of six greenhouse gases in 2007 were provisionally estimated to be 639 million tonnes, 17  per cent below emissions in 1990. (This will differ slightly from the 18 per cent reduction since the Kyoto protocol 1990 baseline which includes some adjustments.)
  • Emissions of carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas, were provisionally estimated at some 544 million tonnes, just over 8 per cent lower than in 1990. Emissions decreased by about 3 per cent between 2006 and 2007 as a result of switching from coal to natural gas for electricity generation.

 

Carbon dioxide emissions associated with UK consumption, 1992 to 2004

Carbon dioxide emissions 1992-2004

  • This is a contextual indicator for the carbon dioxide emissions shown in the previous indicator, which are generated by activities occurring within the UK, i.e. from energy use in the home, transportation and the production of goods and services in the UK.
  • The carbon dioxide emissions shown here are those associated with UK consumption of all goods and services, whether or not the emissions were generated within the UK. Such emissions increased by 115 million tonnes (18 per cent) between 1992 and 2004. They include emissions from international travel and the production and transportation of imported goods, but not emissions from production of goods for UK export.
  • Increasingly, the UK imports from countries where carbon emissions per product is higher than it would be in the UK, and there has also been an increase in the overall volume and diversity of products being consumed in the UK.

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Sustainable Development Indicators in Your Pocket 2008

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Updated: 31 July 2008

 
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