The UK’s CO2 emissions fell by 2.9 per cent in 2019, according to Carbon Brief analysis, meaning that the the total reduction over the past decade was 29 per cent, even as the economy grew by a fifth.

A further reduction of 29 per cent in coal use last year contributed to the past year’s fall, with oil and gas use largely unchanged. Emissions from coal have fallen by 80 per cent over the past decade, while those from gas are down 20 per cent and oil 6 per cent.

The annual fall marks the seventh consecutive year of reductions, the longest series on record, and emissions are now at a level not seen since 1888.

The closing of coal-powered energy production accounted for 93 per cent of the overall fall in demand for coal in 2019. The remainder was from industry. Coal generation fell by close to 60 per cent and accounted for just 2 per cent of UK electricity last year – less than solar. Fossil fuels collectively accounted for a record-low 43 per cent of the total, according to Carbon Brief. Around 54 per cent of electricity generation in the UK is now from low-carbon sources, including 37 per cent from renewables and 20 per cent from wind alone.

However, to meet the UK’s carbon budgets emissions will need to fall by another 31 per cent in this decade, and reductions will be harder to achieve as other sources of carbon are not as intense as coal. This also helps inform the recent decision to allow onshore wind to bid in energy auctions.

Full report from Carnon Brief here.

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