UK greenhouse gas emissions will fall by 3.4% in 2022 thanks to a 15% reduction in coal use.

The UK produced 3.4 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions last year, equivalent to 14 million tons of carbon dioxide, than in 2021.

The new analysis attributes this to a 15 percent reduction in coal use, offsetting any residual post-pandemic booms in road and air travel.

Demand for fossil fuels is currently at its lowest level in 266 years, but mainly thanks to Air temperature reached record highsreducing the need for heating, and growth of renewable energy sources.

An analysis of government data shows that the UK would indeed have seen an increase in emissions if these factors had not played a role.

However, with the exception of 2021, since 2013 we have seen an annual reduction in emissions, but experts say this must continue if we are to achieve net zero by 2050.

analysts carbon brief used data from the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) to calculate last year’s total UK emissions.

They amounted to the equivalent of 412 million tons of carbon dioxide, about six million tons less than the previous record low of 2020.

The quarantine due to COVID-19 led to an unprecedented decline in energy consumption, which then recovered sharply in 2021, leading to Six percent increase in emissions.

This was the only year in the past 10 that saw an increase in emissions despite sustained economic growth in the country.

Despite a local decrease, Global carbon dioxide emissions rise to record high in 2022.

This is largely due to the fact that many countries returned to the use of coal during the global energy crisis, although global emissions growth was lower than feared.

The use of coal in the UK grew rapidly from the Industrial Revolution until the mid-1950s, when the introduction of the Clean Air Act led to its phasing out.

There were fears that we could return to fuel in 2022 due to the sharp increase in natural gas prices after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

But those fears never panned out, in part due to a 3.6% drop in electricity consumption as people left their homes more frequently in the wake of COVID.

Rising electricity bills and hottest year on record It also meant that the British were less likely to turn on the heating, which also reduced our dependence on gas.

Without above-average temperatures, demand for gas would be higher and greenhouse gas emissions would only be halved.

Any potential demand for coal and gas was equally offset by a 25 percent increase in wind power, according to the Carbon Brief.

On December 30, 20.91 gigawatts (GW) of power was generated from offshore and onshore wind turbines, breaking a new wind generation record.

This was the third time a UK wind turbine fleet has set new generation records in 2022 after 10-year low wind speed reported in 2021.

Last year also set a new record for the share of electricity in the grid coming from zero-carbon sources, with renewables and nuclear providing 87.2 percent of its total capacity.

If coal and gas were to cover half of the increase in renewable energy production, emissions in the UK would be around 11 million tons higher.

The British did use more oil in 2022 than in 2021, but usage could very well have been higher had the energy crisis not pushed prices to their levels. highest level since 2014.

Road traffic has returned to pre-pandemic levels, with gasoline and diesel demand up eight and seven percent, respectively, last year.

However, air travel is still 20 percent lower than in 2019, a trend that is being seen across the world.

According to data from OAGThe weekly capacity of commercial airlines is still 20 million less than in 2019.

Heathrow bosses tied it to Fears of a fourth wave of Covid and conflict in Ukraine affecting consumer confidencein addition to the skyrocketing global oil prices.

Analysts believe that the downward trend in emissions in the UK will continue as the country faces recession period.

We may also end up importing more electricity from other countries if the country continues exporting the surplus it generates from renewable sources.

However, if this year is colder than last year, heating demand could also increase.

To meet the government’s zero targets by 2050, UK emissions must be cut by 15 million tons every year from 2023.

The steps taken so far have been achieved by phasing out coal and switching to renewable power, but sustaining the trend may be difficult.

Last year The UK’s largest nuclear power plant, Hinkley Point B, has been shut down.raising fears that this will cause another increase in energy bills.

Carbon Brief experts say significant reductions in emissions from the industrial, aviation and agricultural sectors are still needed.

This was stated by senior editor of Carbon Brief Simon Evans. Time: “To keep moving forward, the UK needs to decide gas boilers which heats our buildings and cars running on gasoline and diesel fuel.

“This means that the demand for electricity will grow to provide electrified heat and transport.”