http://www.carbonbrief.org/blog/2015/03 ... t-in-2014/UK carbon dioxide emissions fell by more than nine per cent in 2014 year-on-year, according to Carbon Brief analysis of newly released government energy data.
A 20 per cent reduction in coal use and record warm temperatures both contributed to the decline in emissions. Continued falls in energy use were also a factor.
The estimated 9.2 per cent fall in UK carbon emissions is the second largest year-on-year reduction since 1990. Only 2009, when the economy collapsed following the global financial crisis, had a larger reduction of 9.5 per cent.
The Carbon Brief emissions estimate is based on analysis of preliminary energy use data for 2014, published on 26 February by the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC). Estimates for previous years using the same method are accurate to within half a percentage point, as the table below shows.
A 9.2 per cent reduction would leave UK emissions 28 per cent below 1990 levels, at 429 million tonnes of carbon dioxide. The UK is aiming to halve its greenhouse gas emissions by 2025 and cut them by 80 per cent by 2050, both against 1990 levels.
UK carbon emissions down 9% in 2014
Moderator: Peak Moderation
UK carbon emissions down 9% in 2014
Carbon Brief has done a nice little analysis which suggests a big drop in CO2 emissions last year. It was a warm winter which helps but when adjusted for temperature it seems like there was still a significant drop.