Transport emissions static despite overall drop

Although the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions continued their downward trend in 2017, the transport sector showed no change between 2016 and 2017, according to government figures.

The sector remained the UK's largest generator of greenhouse gases for the second year running, making up 27 per cent of the total. Petrol and diesel cars remain the most significant source of pollution.

The latest official data released by the government reveals UK greenhouse gases fell 2.7 per cent in 2017 compared to the previous year, largely due to warmer winter weather and the ongoing phase-out of coal fired power stations.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Indicator 9.4.1 measures carbon dioxide emissions per unit of value added (or carbon dioxide emissions intensity); for the UK this has reduced by 48% since 1997 and 4% since 2016.

Green Party MP Casroline Lucas said: ""With this Government's huge subsidies for fossil fuels, relentless building of new roads and runways, slashing of support for clean energy and sordid love affair with the car industry, it's incredible that overall emissions fell at all."

Greenhouse gases by sector
Business - 17%, Residential - 15%, Agriculture - 10%, Energy Supply - 24%, Transport - 27 %