Transportation carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions in the United Kingdom decreased by 1.3 percent in 2023 to 109 million metric tons (MtCO₂). The outbreak of COVID-19 caused UK transportation emissions to plummet almost 20 percent in 2020, which greatly contributed to overall UK CO₂ emissions reductions that year. Although emissions from this sector have rebounded since then, they remained below pre-pandemic levels.
Transportation is the largest source of UK emissions
The energy supply sector was once the largest source of emissions in the UK, but a shift away from coal use and a transition to cleaner energy sources has significantly cut emissions from this sector. As a result, energy supply emissions have fallen below those emitted by transportation, which is now the largest source of UK emissions.
UK road transportation emissions
Road vehicles are a major source of carbon pollution in the UK, with passenger cars the largest source of transportation emissions. Passenger cars are followed by heavy goods vehicles and light duty vehicles.
Transportation sector carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions in the United Kingdom from 1990 to 2023
(in million metric tons of carbon dioxide)
Characteristic
Emissions in million metric tons of carbon dioxide
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GOV.UK, & Department for Energy Security and Net-Zero (UK). (March 28, 2024). Transportation sector carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions in the United Kingdom from 1990 to 2023 (in million metric tons of carbon dioxide) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved November 21, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/311522/transport-co2-emissions-in-the-uk/
GOV.UK, und Department for Energy Security and Net-Zero (UK). "Transportation sector carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions in the United Kingdom from 1990 to 2023 (in million metric tons of carbon dioxide)." Chart. March 28, 2024. Statista. Accessed November 21, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/311522/transport-co2-emissions-in-the-uk/
GOV.UK, Department for Energy Security and Net-Zero (UK). (2024). Transportation sector carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions in the United Kingdom from 1990 to 2023 (in million metric tons of carbon dioxide). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: November 21, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/311522/transport-co2-emissions-in-the-uk/
GOV.UK, and Department for Energy Security and Net-Zero (UK). "Transportation Sector Carbon Dioxide (Co₂) Emissions in The United Kingdom from 1990 to 2023 (in Million Metric Tons of Carbon Dioxide)." Statista, Statista Inc., 28 Mar 2024, https://www.statista.com/statistics/311522/transport-co2-emissions-in-the-uk/
GOV.UK & Department for Energy Security and Net-Zero (UK), Transportation sector carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions in the United Kingdom from 1990 to 2023 (in million metric tons of carbon dioxide) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/311522/transport-co2-emissions-in-the-uk/ (last visited November 21, 2024)
Transportation sector carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions in the United Kingdom from 1990 to 2023 (in million metric tons of carbon dioxide) [Graph], GOV.UK, & Department for Energy Security and Net-Zero (UK), March 28, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/311522/transport-co2-emissions-in-the-uk/
