Falling UK emissions "an example in the world community"

The government has today confirmed that greenhouse gas emissions for the UK fell nearly two per cent during 2008, far exceeding the targets set out under the Kyoto Protocol.

According to official figures from the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), emissions of the six greenhouse gases covered by Kyoto fell 1.9 per cent in 2008 to 628.3 million tones of CO2 equivalent (CO2e).

"Today's greenhouse gas emissions statistics are encouraging and show a continued decline in greenhouse gas emissions of nearly two per cent during 2008," said climate change minister Joan Ruddock. "We are now clearly exceeding our Kyoto target of 12.5 per cent below 1990 levels. UK emissions are now 19.4 per cent below 1990 levels without emissions trading or 22 per cent including emissions trading."

She added that the UK was now demonstrating the kind of year-on-year reductions "that set an example in the world community".

The figures show that greenhouse gas emissions were cut across almost all areas of the economy, with emissions from the energy sector falling 2.9 per cent, transport emissions down three per cent, and emissions from businesses and industrial processes cut by 2.6 and 7.3 per cent respectively.

The one fly in the ointment came in the form of emissions from the residential sector, which climbed by 2.5m tonnes of CO2e or 3.1 per cent.

The figures immediately sparked debate about the extent to which the reduction in emissions was driven by low-carbon policies or the onset of the recession in the second half of 2008.

Energy and environmental writer Chris Goodall told The Guardian that government efforts to curb emissions had had minimal impact.

"What drove 2008 emissions lower were high energy prices and by the end of the year a decline in economic activity, rather than any structural changes," he said. "Although government policies are beginning to work, they won't be enough to meet 2020 targets on their own. It seems that, unfortunately, high energy prices are a more important part of reducing energy demand and emissions. "

However, a spokeswoman for DECC said that while the government was fully aware that the recession helped to reduce carbon emissions, there was evidence that policies had also contributed to emission reductions.

For example, the switching from coal to natural gas-based power within the energy sector was driven in part by the increased cost of carbon-intensive power, as a result of the EU emissions trading scheme, while higher energy prices were partly a result of government policies designed to drive investment in renewable energy.