UK greenhouse gases fall again – as renewable electricity hits 50% for the first time

UK greenhouse gas emissions fell by 3.5% last year compared with 2023, according to provisional government figures.

The Energy Department (DESNZ) said climate-warming emissions generated in the UK were 371.4 million tonnes of carbon equivalent in 2024.

That’s down from 385 million tonnes in 2023 and 406 million tonnes in 2022.

The latest figure is 54% lower than in 1990.

As a signatory to the 2015 Paris Agreement, the UK is aiming to reduce emissions by 68% by 2030 and 81% by 2035 compared with 1990 levels.

The aim is to get to net-zero by 2050, meaning Britain would no longer be adding to the total amount of gases in the atmosphere.

DESNZ said the fall was largely due to reductions from the electricity supply and industry sectors, which made up 10% and 13% of emissions respectively.

Electricity supply drove the largest share of the reduction, as more electricity imports and increased renewable generation led to lower gas and coal use in power stations.

The UK’s last coal-fired power station, Ratcliffe-on-Soar in Nottinghamshire, actually closed at the end of September.

Domestic transport was the biggest emitter in 2024, added DESNZ, making up 30% of total emissions. However, it was down 1.5% on the previous year.

Emissions in the building and product use sector – already the UK’s second-largest emitter, making up 21% of the total – increased by 2.3%.

Notably, last year was a record for renewable energy generation, such as wind and solar.

It was the source of 50.8% of the UK’s electricity in 2024, up from 46.4%, according to DESNZ.

It’s the first year renewables have exceeded 50%.

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Jane Cooper, RenewableUK’s deputy chief executive, said: “These new figures show the pace at which our energy system is changing, benefiting billpayers and the climate.

“The UK is moving away rapidly from fossil fuels to low-cost renewables which bring down consumer bills, with wind providing the bulk of our clean power.”

Doug Parr, Greenpeace UK’s policy director, said it showed “the UK’s efforts to tackle climate change are working”.

However, he said that “while emissions are falling, we’re still very much dependent on expensive and polluting gas for our energy”.

“The government must put a stop to the great gas rip-off and rapidly make renewables the backbone of our energy system to lower our bills for good,” Mr Parr added.