UK's ‘imported’ carbon emissions rose to 2007
Carbon emissions created by the UK economy peaked 35 years later than the conventionally accepted 1972 date, according to new analysis by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Directly produced carbon emissions did peak in 1972 but, once imported emissions – such as those produced when UK imports products that are manufactured abroad – are taken into account, UK emissions actually kept rising for many years and only peaked in 2007, says ONS. The biggest source of these imported emissions is China (82mn tonnes in 2015), followed by the EU (45mn tonnes), and the US (24mn tonnes).
When looking at the UK’s directly produced emissions, which continue to fall, the biggest falls in emissions between 1990 and 2017 were in energy generation (-67%), manufacturing (-43%), water supply (-38%) and transport (-33%).
The findings form part of new research published by the ONS as part of its work to widen its economic measures beyond GDP to include the impact on people and the environment of UK economic activity.
News Item details
Journal title: Energy World
Organisation: Office for National Statistics
Subjects: Metering, monitoring and targeting, Emissions
