Official Statistics

Carbon footprint for the UK and England to 2022

Updated 14 May 2025

1. Key points

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with UK consumption (UK’s ‘carbon footprint’):

• Between 2021 and 2022, the UK’s carbon footprint is estimated to have risen by 3%. This increase reflects increases in emissions from imported goods and household travel.
• The UK’s carbon footprint peaked at 977 million tonnes carbon dioxide equivalents (MtCO2e) in 2007 and in 2022 was 24% lower than this.
• GHG emissions relating to imports rose 80% from 1996 (there is a little uncertainty around the figures in the source data for 1990 to 1995) to a peak in 2007 and in 2022 were 56% higher than 1996. Emissions associated with imports from China were at their highest in 2022, at more than four times (316%) the 1996 level.
• In 2022, emissions relating to the consumption of goods and services produced in the UK were 48% lower than in 1996.
• The findings indicate that the UK’s carbon dioxide footprint rose by 2% between 2021 and 2022.

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with England’s consumption (England’s ‘carbon footprint’):

• Between 2021 and 2022, England’s carbon footprint is estimated to have risen by 3%. This increase reflects increases in emissions from imports and household travel.
• England’s carbon footprint peaked at 816 MtCO2e in 2007 and in 2022 was 24% lower than this.
• GHG emissions relating to England’s imports rose 41% from 2001 (when this data series began) to a peak in 2007 and in 2022 were 23% higher than 2001.
• In 2022, emissions relating to the consumption of goods and services produced in England were 43% lower than in 2001.
• The findings indicate that England’s carbon dioxide footprint rose by 2% between 2021 and 2022.

2. Background to the data

The total carbon footprint now includes the seven main GHGs comprising: carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), hydro-flourocarbons (HFC), perflurocarbons (PFC), nitrogen trifluoride (NF3) and sulphur hexafluoride (SF6). The carbon dioxide footprint relates just to CO2 emissions.

The carbon footprint refers to emissions that are associated with the consumption spending of UK or England residents on goods and services, wherever in the world these emissions arise along the supply chain, and those which are directly generated by UK or English households through private motoring and burning fuel to heat homes. These emissions are often referred to as ‘consumption emissions’ to distinguish them from estimates relating to the emissions ‘produced’ within a country’s territory or economic sphere. To find out what effect UK or England’s consumption has on GHG emissions we need to take into account where the goods we buy come from and their associated supply chains.

Since 1997, the UK economy has continued to move from a manufacturing base towards the services sector. One of the consequences of this is that more of the goods we buy and use are now produced overseas. This statistical release breaks down emissions into:

• those produced and consumed in the UK or England
• those generated by households directly through heating and motoring
• those emissions relating to imports either from China, the US, the EU or Rest of World
• it excludes emissions arising from UK or England produced goods that are exported.

Inherently the emissions relating to overseas production of imports to the UK or England, often referred to as emissions that are ‘embedded’ in imports, are not as easily measured as emissions generated within the UK borders. There are general conventions on how to do this but the results cannot be viewed as being as robust as the estimates of GHG emissions generated domestically.

Percentage changes presented in this statistical notice are based on unrounded figures.

2.1 Impact of coronavirus (COVID-19) on emissions

2020 covered the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the national lockdowns and travel restrictions. This probably had an impact on emissions, especially on emissions from transport generated directly from households and the emissions associated with household spend on air travel, hotels and restaurants.

3. Greenhouse gas emissions associated with consumption

The UK’s total carbon footprint has increased by around 3% between 2021 and 2022.

Figure 1: Greenhouse gas emissions associated with UK consumption 1996 to 2022

Download the data for Figure 1

The UK’s carbon footprint (measured by GHG emissions) peaked in 2007 at 977 MtCO2e. In 2022, at 740 MtCO2e, it was 24% lower than the 2007 peak. Figure 1 shows that the proportion of the total carbon footprint generated directly by UK households has remained between one-sixth and one-fifth of total emissions (16% to 19%) between 1996 and 2022. In 2022 total GHG emissions associated with UK consumption directly by households were 22% lower than in 1996. Emissions associated with UK production were 48% lower in 2022 than 1996 levels. These emissions accounted for 29% of the total UK GHG emissions in 2022. UK production emissions were 211 MtC02e in 2022, which was the same as the 2021 level.

The level of emissions generated directly by households decreased to 125 MtCO2e in 2022. Within the category, emissions from heating have fluctuated from 63 to 96 MtCO2e, depending upon the severity of the winter. In 2022 emissions from heating were 63 MtCO2e, which is lower than the 74 MtCO2e in 2021. Embedded emissions from imports increased by 80% from 1996 to 2007 when they reached a peak. In 2022 they were 404 MtCO2e which was 13% lower than the peak.

Figure 2: Greenhouse gas emissions associated with England’s consumption 2001 to 2022

Download the data for Figure 2

In 2022 total GHG emissions associated with England’s consumption were 14% lower than in 2001. Figure 2 sets out the changes in each of four main activities that make up the total.

Emissions associated with England’s production, were 43% lower in 2022 than 2001 levels. These emissions accounted for 29% of the England’s total GHG emissions in 2021. England’s production emissions were 178 MtCO2e in 2022, which was a small increase on the 2021 level of 177 MtCO2e.

The level of emissions generated directly by households was 101 MtCO2e, which was lower than the 109 MtCO2e in 2021. Embedded emissions from imports increased by 41% from 2001 to 2007 when they reached a peak. In 2022 they were 339 MtCO2e which was 13% lower than the peak.

Figure 3: Breakdown of UK GHG emissions by region of import 1996 to 2022

Notes on Figure 3:

• RoW stands for Rest of World

• Due to methodological changes, data now cover EU countries, rather than the whole of Europe. The emissions from European countries outside the EU, are now included in Rest of World

Download the data for Figure 3

Figure 3 shows that in 2022, GHG emissions associated with imports from China were 85 MtCO2e, which is more than four times the 1996 level of 21 MtCO2e. They now account for 21% of the emissions associated with imports, compared to 8% in 1996.

GHG emissions associated with imports from the EU remained at 67 MtCO2e in 2022, the same as 2021. GHG emissions relating to imports from the EU were 17% of total emissions from imports in 2022.

Emissions embedded in imports from the US accounted for 6% of emissions from imports in 2022, from 12% in 1996. They have decreased by 20% since 1996, from 32 MtCO2e to 26 MtCO2e.

Emissions embedded in imports from the Rest of World accounted for 56% of total emissions from imports in 2022, and they have increased by 47% since 1996 to 225 MtCO2e in 2022.

Figure 4: Breakdown of England’s GHG emissions by region of import 2001 to 2022

Notes on Figure 4:

• RoW stands for Rest of World

• Due to methodological changes, data now cover EU countries, rather than the whole of Europe. The emissions from European countries outside the EU, are now included in Rest of World

Download the data for Figure 4

Figure 4 shows that in 2022, GHG emissions associated with imports from China to England were 72 MtCO2e, which is over three times (249%) higher than the 2001 level of 21 MtCO2e. They now account for 21% of the emissions associated with imports, compared to 7% in 2001.

Emissions associated with imports from the EU to England remained at 56 MtCO2e in 2022. Emissions relating to imports from the EU accounted for 17% of total emissions from imports in 2022.

Emissions embedded in imports from the US accounted for 6% of emissions from imports in 2022, from 11% in 2001. They have decreased by 30% since 2001.

Emissions embedded in imports from the Rest of World accounted for 56% of emissions from imports in 2022, and they have increased by 17% since 2001 to 189 MtCO2e in 2022.

4. Carbon dioxide emissions associated with consumption

Figure 5 presents emissions from CO2 only. CO2 is the main GHG, accounting for 76% of total UK consumption emissions in 2022.

Figure 5: UK CO2 emissions associated with consumption 1996 to 2022

Download the data for Figure 5

In 2022, CO2 accounted for 97% of GHG emissions generated directly by UK households, 77% of the GHG emissions from UK produced goods and services consumed in the UK, and 68% of the GHG emissions embedded in imported goods and services. The total CO2 emissions were 560 MtCO2.

Figure 6: England CO2 emissions associated with consumption 2001 to 2022

Download the data for Figure 6

Figure 6 presents emissions from CO2 only. CO2 is the main GHG, accounting for 76% of total England consumption emissions in 2022. In 2022, CO2 accounted for 100% of GHG emissions generated directly by England’s households, 77% of the GHG emissions from England produced goods and services consumed in England, and 68% of the GHG emissions embedded in imported goods and services to England. The total CO2 emissions were 471 MtCO2.

5. Relationship with other measures of GHG emissions

The UK’s carbon footprint is measured in different ways for different purposes. Each basis of measurement is published by the government. The different bases should be viewed as complementary ways of accounting for carbon emissions.

Territorial basis

Emission estimates are based on the UK greenhouse gas inventory and published by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) – this is used as the basis for our reporting to the European Commission and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and it forms the basis for reporting on progress towards our domestic and international emissions reduction targets. The inventory measures emissions on a territorial basis, so only includes emissions which occur within the UK’s borders. GHG emissions emitted in international territory, such as from international aviation and shipping, are reported as memorandum items.

Production basis

Emissions estimates are reported in the UK Environmental Accounts, published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) - these measure GHG emissions on what is referred to as a “residents” basis, which means that the figures represent emissions produced by UK residents and industry whether in the UK or abroad but exclude emissions within the UK which can be attributed to overseas residents and businesses. International aviation and shipping emissions are allocated to countries based on the operator of the vessel.

Figure 7: Relationship of different measures of the UK’s GHG emissions 1996 to 2022

Download the data for Figure 7

Figure 7 shows the relationship between three different measures of GHG emissions relating to the UK between 1996 and 2022. Whilst the carbon footprint has decreased by 10% over this time period, emissions on a territorial basis have decreased by 48% and emissions on a production or residents basis have decreased by 39%. The larger reduction in territorial emissions may be due to the UK economy further moving from a manufacturing base to a service base with a greater dependence upon imports and their associated embedded emissions.

For further details on the different measures, please see the measuring UK greenhouse gas emissions page on the ONS website

6. What you need to know about this release

6.1 Contact details

Responsible statistician: Adele Storr

Email: WasteStatistics@Defra.gov.uk

Media enquiries: 0330 041 6560 (Defra Press Office) or refer to Defra’s media enquiries page.

6.2 Official Statistics

This is an Official Statistics publication. Our statistical practice is regulated by the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR). OSR sets the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics that all producers of official statistics should adhere to. You can read about how Official Statistics in Defra comply with these standards on the Defra Statistics website.

You are welcome to contact us directly with any comments about how we meet these standards using the contact details above. Alternatively, you can contact OSR by emailing regulation@statistics.gov.uk or via the OSR website.

6.3 Feedback

We welcome feedback on the data from all users including how and why the data is used. This helps us to understand the value of the statistics to external users. Please see our contact details section of this notice.

6.4 Background to the statistics

The University of Leeds provides estimates of the UK and England’s carbon footprints by an agreement with Defra. The project updates previous work carried out by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) published by Defra in 2008. It uses a multi-region input-output (MRIO) model, to link the flows of goods and services described in monetary terms, with the emissions generated in the process of production. In brief, this is a sophisticated computer model that can assimilate data on emissions and product flows from different countries and years in different classifications and valuations, dealing with the data gaps and reconciling inconsistencies.

6.5 Revisions

Each year the estimates relating to previous years are subject to revision, as a result of either revisions to the underlying data or because of methodological improvements. There is one methodological change for the 2025 release:

• Switch to using FIGARO for the traded data from 2014 rather than use EXIOBASE v3.8.3.

The University of Leeds secured funding to investigate the effects of sourcing import data from different source Global MRIO databases. Based on this the decision was made to use FIGARO as a replacement. The switch to using Figaro was made for data in 2015, meaning that data up to 2014 uses EXIOBASE and data from 2015 onwards uses FIGARO for trade data. For more information on this change, please see section 3.5 in the Summary of Methods, published alongside this notice.

The methodology will continue to be improved, which may well lead to further revisions to the past time series.

6.6 Greenhouse gas emissions uncertainty

Defra published research on the uncertainty in the estimates as part of a previous report on consumption-based CO2 emissions between 1992 and 2004. The research showed that the relative standard error for total CO2 consumption emissions in any one year lies within the range of 3.3% to 5.5%. Since then, the methodology has become fully developed according to current understanding and science and also uses more up-to-date and reliable financial data, which has reduced the range of errors for the more recent years.

6.7 References

Wiedmann, T., Wood, R., Lenzen, M., Minx, J., Guan, D. and Barrett, J. (2008) Development of an Embedded Carbon Emissions Indicator – Producing a Time Series of Input-Output Tables and Embedded Carbon Dioxide Emissions for the UK by Using a MRIO Data Optimisation System , Report to the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs by Stockholm Environment Institute at the University of York and Centre for Integrated Sustainability Analysis at the University of Sydney, June 2008. Defra, London, UK

Wiedmann, T., Lenzen, M. and Wood, R. (2008) Uncertainty Analysis of the UK-MRIO Model – Results from a Monte-Carlo Analysis of the UK Multi- Region Input-Output Model (Embedded Emissions Indicator), Report to the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs by Stockholm Environment Institute at the University of York and Centre for Integrated Sustainability Analysis at the University of Sydney. Defra, London, UK.

For Production (Residents) Emissions, please see Office for National Statistics Environmental Accounts

For Territorial Emissions, please see UK territorial greenhouse gas emissions national statistics

6.8 Notes

Whilst the research has not been subject to Accredited Official Statistics assessment standards, in other respects the analysis has been conducted in line with the Code of Practice for Statistics.