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Climate change and the UK
The UK is already feeling climate impacts, from hotter summers and wetter winters to increased flooding and ecosystem stress, which threaten food security, biodiversity, infrastructure and public health. As a major historic emitter and current economic power, the UK has both the responsibility and the opportunity to help shape a more resilient future.
Where do the UK’s emissions come from
Emissions are primarily generated by the burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil, and natural gas) for energy production, industrial processes, and transportation. In the UK, our highest emitting sectors are surface transport, residential buildings, industry, agriculture, aviation, and electricity supply. Other notable contributors include fuel supply, waste, and non-residential buildings.
Source: CCC, Progress in reducing emissions – 2025 report to Parliament
Where do the UK’s emissions come from
Emissions are primarily generated by the burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil, and natural gas) for energy production, industrial processes, and transportation. In the UK, our highest emitting sectors are surface transport, residential buildings, industry, agriculture, aviation, and electricity supply. Other notable contributors include fuel supply, waste, and non-residential buildings.
Source: CCC, Progress in reducing emissions – 2025 report to Parliament
When Parliament passed the Climate Change Act in 2008, the UK became the first country to set legally binding emissions targets and a clear roadmap for achieving them. The original goal was an 80% reduction in emissions by 2050, later strengthened to today’s Net Zero by 2050 target.
The Act also created the Climate Change Committee (CCC), an independent statutory body of experts in climate science, energy, economics, and other related fields. The CCC advises the government through reports and guidance on everything from climate risk assessments to “carbon budgets,” which set and chart the emissions reductions needed to stay on track.
Finally, the Act requires the government to assess and adapt to the risks and opportunities climate change presents for the UK.
UK progress in reducing emissions
The good news:
UK emissions have been steadily falling, with 2024 levels 50.4% lower than in 1990. Territorial emissions, which are emissions from activities within the UK’s borders, fell 2.5% compared to 2023*. Excluding the pandemic years of 2020 and 2021 (which saw an unusually large drop), the UK has achieved ten consecutive years of sustained reductions.
*This figure includes international aviation and shipping
The not-so-good news:
Most of the reductions so far have come from the “low-hanging fruit.” Cutting emissions further will be much more difficult. The CCC’s 2025 progress report found that 39% of the policies and plans needed to meet our 2030 target are either at significant risk, insufficient, or lack clear evidence that they will deliver.
To accelerate progress and keep us on track for our targets, the CCC has set out a list of priorities. One of the ten is to “ramp up tree planting and peatland restoration.”
Source: CCC’s 2025 progress report.
UK progress in reducing emissions
The good news:
UK emissions have been steadily falling, with 2024 levels 50.4% lower than in 1990. Territorial emissions, which are emissions from activities within the UK’s borders, fell 2.5% compared to 2023*. Excluding the pandemic years of 2020 and 2021 (which saw an unusually large drop), the UK has achieved ten consecutive years of sustained reductions.
*This figure includes international aviation and shipping
The not-so-good news:
Most of the reductions so far have come from the “low-hanging fruit.” Cutting emissions further will be much more difficult. The CCC’s 2025 progress report found that 39% of the policies and plans needed to meet our 2030 target are either at significant risk, insufficient, or lack clear evidence that they will deliver.
To accelerate progress and keep us on track for our targets, the CCC has set out a list of priorities. One of the ten is to “ramp up tree planting and peatland restoration.”
Source: CCC’s 2025 progress report.
“Put policies and incentives in place to ramp up tree planting and peatland restoration. It is vital to ensure planting rates increase quickly due to the time it takes for trees to grow and sequester substantial levels of CO₂.”