UK emissions – breakdown by gas and emission source
Greenhouse gas emissions are generally reported either by gas, or by the source sector of the emissions, or by a combination of the two. The source sector describes the type of activity which led to the emissions.
Breakdown of emissions by gas
When broken down by gas, UK emissions are dominated by carbon dioxide, which accounted for about 79 per cent of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions in 2020. Weighted by global warming potential, methane accounted for about 13 per cent of UK emissions and nitrous oxide for about 5 per cent of emissions. Fluorinated gases accounted for the remainder, around 3 per cent.
Greenhouse gas emissions by gas, 2020
Greenhouse gas emissions are generally reported either by gas, or by the source sector of the emissions, or by a combination of the two. The source sector describes the type of activity which led to the emissions.
Breakdown of emissions by gas
When broken down by gas, UK emissions are dominated by carbon dioxide, which accounted for about 79 per cent of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions in 2020. Weighted by global warming potential, methane accounted for about 13 per cent of UK emissions and nitrous oxide for about 5 per cent of emissions. Fluorinated gases accounted for the remainder, around 3 per cent.
Greenhouse gas emissions by gas, 2020
Breakdown of emissions by source sector
For reporting under the Climate Change Act, emissions are reported in terms of nine source sectors, which are:
Looking at the breakdown by sector in 2020, 24 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions were from the transport sector, 21 per cent from energy supply, 17 per cent from business, 17 per cent from the residential sector and 11 per cent from agriculture. The other 10 per cent were attributable to the remaining sectors; waste management, industrial process, the public sector and LULUCF.
Greenhouse gas emissions by source sector, 2020
For reporting under the Climate Change Act, emissions are reported in terms of nine source sectors, which are:
- Transport
- Energy supply
- Business
- Residential
- Agriculture
- Waste management
- Industrial process
- Public sector
- Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF)
Looking at the breakdown by sector in 2020, 24 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions were from the transport sector, 21 per cent from energy supply, 17 per cent from business, 17 per cent from the residential sector and 11 per cent from agriculture. The other 10 per cent were attributable to the remaining sectors; waste management, industrial process, the public sector and LULUCF.
Greenhouse gas emissions by source sector, 2020
