In 2022, total UK territorial greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions declined by 2.2% to 417.1 MtCO2eq, according to preliminary figures from the UK Department for Energy Security & Net Zero, and CO2 emissions dropped by 2.4% to 331.5 MtCO2eq. Total GHG emissions are 7.4% lower than in 2019 and 48.7% lower than in 1990; CO2 emissions are also 45.1% lower than in 1990.
This drop is driven by a large fall in emissions from the residential sector (-16.5% for CO2 emissions) caused by warmer weather in 2022 and people spending less time at home due to the easing of COVID-19 restrictions. CO2 emissions from the energy supply rose by 1.7% resulting from a 7.8% rise in emissions from the energy supply that didn’t come from power plants (mining, refining and manufacturing fuels). When adjusted for temperatures, GHG emissions in 2022 were 0.7% higher than in 2021, although still 5% lower than they were in 2019.