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Final UK greenhouse gas emissions national statistics 1990-2021
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This publication provides the latest estimates of UK greenhouse gas emissions going back to 1990. They show "territorial" emissions, meaning emissions that occur within the UK's borders. The geographical coverage for these statistics is UK only except where stated otherwise. These statistics are used to monitor progress against the UK’s emissions reductions targets. These data tables were published on 7th February 2023, and will be updated on 30th March 2023 to add updated uncertainty data.
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For the purposes of reporting, greenhouse gas emissions are allocated into a small number of broad, high level sectors known as National Communication (NC) sectors, which are as follows: energy supply, business, transport, public, residential, agriculture, industrial processes, land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF), and waste management. These high level sectors are made up of a number of more detailed source categories, which follow the definitions set out by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), and which are used in international reporting tables which are submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) every year.
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We are proposing to replace the NC sectors in next year's publication. Please see the separate document published alongside this publication and send us any feedback you have at GreenhouseGas.Statistics@beis.gov.uk.
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These tables show emissions by source, meaning emissions are attributed to the sector that emits them directly. When emissions are reported by end user, emissions in the energy supply sector are reallocated in accordance with where the end-use activity occurred. This reallocation of emissions is based on a modelling process. For example, all the carbon dioxide produced by a power station is allocated to the power station when reporting on a source basis. However, when applying the end-user method, these emissions are reallocated to the users of this electricity, such as domestic homes or large industrial users.
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The basket of greenhouse gases covered by these statistics consists of seven gases: carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, sulphur hexafluoride and nitrogen trifluoride. The last four gases are collectively referred to as fluorinated gases or F-gases. In accordance with international reporting, each of these gases is weighted by its global warming potential (GWP), so that total greenhouse gas emissions can be reported on a consistent basis (in carbon dioxide equivalent units). The GWP for each gas is defined as its warming influence relative to that of carbon dioxide over a 100-year period. The GWPs used in these statistics are from table 8.A.1 (without climate-carbon feedback) of Working Group 1 of the IPCC Fifth Assessment Report: Climate Change 2013. This is a change from last year when 100-year GWPs from Working Group 1 of the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report: Climate Change 2007 (AR4) were used. Table 6.4 shows how these GWPs differ.
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Note that in these statistics the entire time series going back to 1990 is revised each year to take account of methodological improvements, so the estimates presented here supersede previous ones.
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Latest report and previous publications (opens in a new window)
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Publication dates
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The data tables in this spreadsheet were published at 9:30am on 7th February 2023.
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This file will be updated on 30th March 2023 to add updated uncertainty data.
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Tables showing emissions estimates by end-user will be added to this publication in a separate file on 30th March 2023.
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Tables showing emissions by Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) will be added to this publication in a separate file on 29th June 2023.
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The next publication will be in February 2024.
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No data and time periods
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Some cells have no data; when this is the case it is indicated at the top of the worksheet.
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The time period in all tables refer to calendar years i.e. January to December.
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Statistical enquiries
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Responsible statistician: Christopher Waite
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GreenhouseGas.Statistics@beis.gov.uk
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Methodology
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Methodology report submitted to UNFCCC (opens in a new window)
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Other data
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NAEI UK data emissions selector (opens in a new window)
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