The UK’s domestic transport emissions edge upwards
The Department for Transport have today published the provisional greenhouse gas emission statistics from the domestic transport sector in 2022.
The figures show that domestic transport was responsible for 28% of the UK’s total GHG emissions in that year. This amounts to 113.2 MtCO2e (million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent), an increase of 2% on the previous year but a decrease of 10% on 2019 levels.
28% makes transport the greater source of emissions in the UK with Buildings and Product Uses second on 20%, and Electricity and Industry both at 14%
Domestic transport emissions have decreased by 12% since 1990 but the paucity of that decline is highlighted by the fact that, over the same period, total UK domestic emissions fell by 50%.
Within the transport sector, cars and taxis were responsible for 53% of emissions, HGVs 17% and light vans 16%.
In terms of the total GHG emissions from transport, international aviation was responsible for 19% and international shipping made up 4%.
There was a 16.3 MtCO2e rise in total UK transport emissions between 2021 and 2022 and international aviation was responsible for 88% of this, negating the small fall in domestic transport emissions prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Commenting, Richard Dilks, chief executive of CoMoUK, said: ‘These figures are clearly worrying, as they show that with the exception of the pandemic years, emissions from domestic transport have stayed stubbornly high for 30 years.
‘If we are to have any hope of reaching net zero, it is imperative that domestic transport emissions fall sharply, but instead they are rising. This simply has to change.
‘Our research has shown that a national expansion of shared transport provision could help governments and local authorities across the country drive down emissions.
‘There is enormous and unrealised potential for this innovative sector to take more cars off our roads, cut traffic congestion further, improve our air quality and help us reach net zero.
‘It was heartening to hear transport minister Simon Lightwood say at the CoMoUK conference last week that shared transport is ‘central’ to the government achieving its aims – we now need to see firm action to back that sentiment up.’
The full figures are available here.
