📉 UK greenhouse gas emissions drop to lowest level since 1872

• Greenhouse gas emissions in the UK decreased by 3.6 percent during 2024, reaching the lowest level since 1872.
• Coal usage in the country fell to the lowest level since 1666, partly due to the closure of the last coal power plant and a blast furnace at the Port Talbot steelworks.
• The number of electric vehicles increased by almost 40 percent during 2024, contributing to reduced oil demand despite increased traffic on the roads.

Drastic reduction in coal usage

According to a analysis from Carbon Brief, the UK's greenhouse gas emissions decreased significantly during 2024. The country's emissions have now fallen to 371 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents, which is 54 percent lower than 1990 levels. During the same period, the country's GDP increased by 84 percent, showing that economic growth can occur while emissions decrease.

One of the main reasons for the reduced emissions was a sharp decline in coal usage, which fell by 54 percent. This is the fastest annual reduction in coal usage in the UK since measurements began in the 16th century.

The country used only 2.1 million tonnes of coal during 2024, the lowest level since 1666 - the year when the Great Fire devastated London. About one-third of the reduction in coal usage was due to the closure of the country's last coal power plant in Ratcliffe-on-Soar, Nottinghamshire, which delivered electricity to the grid for the last time in September 2024.

Two-thirds of the coal reduction came from lower coal usage in heavy industry, mainly due to decreased steel production. The Port Talbot steelworks in Wales closed its last two blast furnaces during 2024, and production at the Scunthorpe steelworks was temporarily paused. Both facilities plan to convert to electric arc furnaces that do not depend on coal.

Electric vehicles and reduced oil demand

Despite traffic on British roads increasing by more than 1 percent during 2024, demand for oil fell by 1.4 percent. The number of electric vehicles on British roads increased from 1 million in 2023 to 1.4 million in 2024, an increase of 39 percent. The number of plug-in hybrids increased by 28 percent to 0.8 million.

Together with 76,000 electric vans, these electric vehicles reduced oil-related emissions by at least 5.9 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents during 2024, according to Carbon Brief's analysis. Emissions from the extra electricity production required to power these vehicles amount to about 0.5 million tonnes, which corresponds to less than 10 percent of the savings from reduced oil use.

British electric vehicle drivers saved around 1.7 billion pounds in fuel costs during 2024 compared to the cost of driving petrol or diesel cars, equivalent to about 800 pounds per vehicle per year.

Cleaner electricity production

Demand for gas for electricity production decreased by 13 percent during 2024, helping to make the UK's electricity "cleaner than ever." This reduction was due to increased production from low-carbon sources and increased imports of cheap electricity from abroad.

While gas use for heating in buildings and industry increased slightly, the total gas usage in the country decreased to a record low level.

The road ahead

To reach its climate goals for 2035 and 2050, the UK needs to increase the pace of its emissions reductions. If emissions continue to decrease at the same rate as during 2024, the country will miss both its targets for 2035 and the goal of net-zero emissions by 2050.

According to calculations from Carbon Brief, the UK would need to reduce its emissions by 20 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents each year to reach the 2035 target, and by an average of 15 million tonnes per year to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.