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UK emissions fall seven percent in 2011 as gas use plunges
February 6, 2013
UK emissions fall seven percent in 2011 as gas use plunges
UK greenhouse gas emissions fell seven percent from 2010 to 2011 as emissions from the residential sector dipped to their lowest levels since 1990, government figures revealed.
The drop from 594 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (MtCO2e) to just under 553 MtCO2e is slightly less than the 549 MtCO2e predicted by figures released last year. But it leaves the UK comfortably below both its Kyoto Protocol and carbon budget targets and continues a downward trend that since 2004 has only been interrupted once in 2010.
The latest fall in annual emissions was driven by 22.5 percent drop in household emissions as a relatively warm year saw homeowners use less gas overall and significantly reduce the amount of fuel being used for space heating. Emissions from the energy sector also recorded a significant drop falling 6.5 percent in response to a three percent fall in the overall demand for energy. The business, transport, industrial process, and public sectors also recorded slight drops in emissions against 2010 levels, while all other sectors were relatively stable.
Read more at Business Green.
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