Transport Remains Biggest Source of UK Emissions, New Figures Show

New figures from the government show that domestic transport remains the biggest source of UK greenhouse gas emissions, at 28% of the total.

In 2022, transport emissions were 113.2 million tonnes of CO2e, an increase of 2% on 2021. They are nevertheless 10% lower than the 2019 pre-pandemic level.

Since 1990:

• overall emissions are down 50% but
• transport emissions are down only 12%

Historically, electricity supply was the biggest-emitting sector, but it has decarbonised rapidly. Domestic transport has been the biggest source of emissions since 2014.

The bulk of transport emissions are from road transport – cars, taxis, HGVs and vans.

The UK’s greenhouse gas emissions have rebounded after the pandemic. The main contributors were:

• a 10% increase in domestic transport emissions in 2021 compared with 2020 and
• a 103% increase in international aviation emissions in 2022 compared with 2021

Provisional Figures for 2023

Provisional figures for GHG emissions from transport in 2023 show a decrease of 1%.