Transport biggest source of greenhouse gas as emissions fall
TRANSPORT WAS the largest sector for UK greenhouse gas pollution in 2017, as emissions driving climate change fell three per cent overall, official statistics show.
Greenhouse gases were down three per cent on 2016 to 460 million tonnes, and the main pollutant, carbon dioxide, was also down three per cent, to 373m tonnes in 2017, the most recent year for which figures are available.
The UK’s domestic greenhouse gas emissions have fallen by more than two-fifths (42 per cent) since 1990 and carbon dioxide is down 37 per cent over the same period.
But transport emissions have fallen just two per cent since 1990 and now account for more than a quarter of the total greenhouse gas output – a bigger share than energy supplies, businesses, homes, agriculture or other sectors.
Pollution from energy suppliers, which was the largest emitting sector until 2016 when it was overtaken by transport, has dropped by 60 per cent since 1990.
The sector recorded a fall of eight per cent in 2017 as electricity generation continues to shift away from coal and towards renewables and now accounts for just under a quarter of emissions (24 per cent).
The Government has outlined plans to phase out the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2040, as part of efforts to curb urban air pollution and tackle emissions of the gases which drive up global temperatures.
Green Party MP Caroline Lucas said: “It’s shocking that emissions from agriculture and waste actually increased in 2017 and transport’s contribution has inched down by just two per cent since 1990.”
A Government spokesman said measures in the “Road to Zero” strategy to meet the 2040 target “amount to nearly £1.5bn of investment”.