UK greenhouse gas emissions dropped seven per cent in 2011 (from 2010), new government statistics have revealed.

In 2011, UK emissions were estimated to be 552.6 million tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent (MtCO2e), lower than the 594.0 million tonnes emitted in 2010.

The UK government reports that this was 29.6 per cent lower than the targets set out in the Kyoto Protocol.

According to the statistics, the fall in emissions was largely driven by a drop in residential gas and electricity use (22.5 per cent from 2010 levels), due to a warmer than average year. This was complimented by greater use of nuclear power for energy generation.

The energy supply sector also saw a ‘significant’ fall of 6.5 per cent, down to 13.3 MtCO2e.

Looking at the breakdown by sector, in 2011:

• 35 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions were from the energy supply sector;
• 21 per cent were from transport
• 16 per cent from business
• 13 per cent from the residential sector
• and nine per cent from agriculture.

The other six per cent were attributable to the remaining sectors; waste management, industrial process, the public sector and Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry sector.

Carbon dioxide (CO2) was by far the largest single contributing factor to the UK’s total emissions figure, making up around 83 per cent of the total amount in 2011. However, levels of CO2 fell eight per cent on 2010. With such a large percentage of emissions comprising of carbon dioxide, even a seemingly small drop in this gas can have a large effect on the overall level of emissions.

It remains to be seen, however, whether such a large decline in overall emissions can be maintained in colder temperatures, when demand for household heating rises.

‘We must not be complacent’

Commenting on a decrease in greenhouse gas emissions in 2011, Energy and Climate Change Secretary Edward Davey said: “It is good to see that we are making progress and have reduced emissions of greenhouse gases by seven per cent on 2010 levels. The results show that we remain on course to meet our international obligations and to meet our Carbon Budgets.”

He continued: “However, I am not complacent and there is still more work to do to ensure that we decarbonise our economy. To that end we are pushing ahead with our energy efficiency initiative, the Green Deal, and with electricity market reform through the Energy Bill.”

Mike Childs, Head of Policy, Research and Science at Friends of the Earth added: "It's great to see that UK emissions are declining but we must not be complacent as the structural changes to deliver a low carbon economy are not in place.

“We are not yet seriously decarbonising electricity, transport investment is still fossil fuel based with other slow take up of electric cars, and the UK's homes are far from energy efficient. Without structural changes its likely that emissions will rise if the economy recovers."

Although they contribute a combined six per cent of total global emissions, the aviation and shipping sectors are not currently included in government targets due to the complexity of measuring their output on a UK level. A decision on whether to include them in future emissions budgets has been delayed by the government until 2016.

Read more about the 2011 emissions statistics.