Greenhouse gas emissions, UK: provisional estimates, 2022

• UK greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions on a residence basis increased by 2% between 2021 and 2022 (provisional), having increased 3% in 2021 following the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic which particularly affected 2020. 

• UK emissions stood at 512 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (Mt CO2e) in 2022, 7% below the pre-coronavirus pandemic level of 550 Mt CO2e in 2019. 

• The sector with the largest increase in UK emissions was transport, up 34% in 2022 compared with 2021, following a fall of 28% in 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic and a 9% decrease in 2021. 

• Consumer expenditure remains the largest single contributor to UK emissions, at 25% of total UK GHG emissions in 2022, followed by the energy sector at 16%. 

• In 2022, 190 tonnes of Co2e were emitted per million pounds of UK economic activity (gross value added) on a residence basis; this is down 67% since 1990. 

• The sector with the highest increase in emissions intensity in 2022 was transport, up 20% from 2021.

All 2022 data in this release are provisional. To produce provisional 2022 greenhouse gas and other air emissions data, 2021 data on activities (for example, distance in kilometers driven by cars) are updated using information on production activities for 2022, where available, or using appropriate proxy information if necessary. Emission factors from 2022 that estimate the mass of emissions associated with those activities (by type of gas or pollutant) are then applied.  

These provisional estimates form part of the UK Environmental Accounts. The Environmental Accounts are "satellite accounts" to the main UK National Accounts (accounts that are linked to the economy but are not part of the core UK National Accounts). They are compiled in accordance with the United Nations's (UN's) System of Environmental Economic Accounting (SEEA), which closely follows the UN System of National Accounts (SNA).  

Air emissions  

The air accounts in the UK Environmental Accounts are compiled by Ricardo Energy and Environment on behalf of the Office for National Statistics (ONS).  

The main source of information for this reporting is the National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory (NAEI). This provides air emissions data, calculated from activity data and emission factors, for all relevant sources in the UK as a starting point for generating the air emissions accounts. 

The residence principle is then applied to these datasets, which assigns the emissions to an industrial classification based on Standard Industrial Classification: SIC 2007. 

Quality  

For more quality and methodology information on strengths, limitations, appropriate uses, and how the data were created, see our Environmental accounts on air emissions quality and methodology information (QMI).