The Government has published its final 2017 greenhouse gas emissions report which shows that emissions fell 3% between 2016-2017.
The report attributes the fall in emissions largely to coal generated power falling by over a quarter in the year as the carbon floor price increased. Gas-fired power generation also fell with a significant increase in renewable energy.
Transport has become the dominant source of emissions now representing 27% of emissions. This figure does not include international aviation which would result in transport’s share being driven up closer to 40%. Very little progress has been made on transport since 1990 (a 2% reduction compared with 42% in the economy as a whole).
The report maintains that the UK is on course to meet its second carbon budget period commitments but the Committee for Climate Change has previously identified that it is off course to meet subsequent budgets.