UK carbon emissions fell by 4% in 2024

In a strange paradoxical way, climate change may have played its part too. ‘Above average temperatures and fewer heating degree days since 2022 has kept residential buildings emissions down relative to earlier years,’ the statistical release disclosed.

It clarifies that had weather conditions for both 2023 and 2024 followed long-term trends, there would have been a 4% increase in residential building emissions estimates. Basically, cautious optimism is about as far as we can go on the excitement scale at present.

This guarded stance is echoed by Greenpeace’s UK policy director, Doug Parr. ‘This good news is the latest demonstration that the UK’s efforts to tackle climate change are working, despite what some politicians on the right might try and make you believe,’ Parr stated.

Key to achieving the UK’s net zero target, Parr asserts that the nation’s dependence on ‘expensive and polluting gas’ for energy must be replaced by clean solutions at pace. ‘The government must put a stop to the great gas rip-off, and rapidly make renewables the backbone of our energy system to lower our bills for good,’ he said.

It’s encouraging that the UK became the first G7 country to stop using coal for power generation this year, but on the flip side, it is still beholden to gas-exporting nations.

Hopefully next year’s report will reflect even greater emission reductions, demonstrating a genuine attitude towards embracing change.