UK greenhouse gas emissions: what the three official measures actually track

The UK’s carbon footprint — measured by emissions generated across global supply chains to meet British consumption — stood at 699 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2023, the figures show. That’s nearly double the 384 million tonnes recorded under the territorial measure, which only counts what’s physically released within UK borders, including offshore areas under UK jurisdiction.

The Office for National Statistics posts emissions data on three separate bases, each answering a different question. Territorial emissions track what’s released on UK soil. Residence emissions — 480 million tonnes in 2023 — cover what UK residents and UK-registered businesses produce anywhere in the world, whether at home or overseas, while excluding what foreign visitors and foreign businesses emit here. Footprint emissions go further still, capturing everything emitted globally to produce the goods and services consumed in the UK.

The three measures are not interchangeable. Territorial figures are the ones used to monitor progress against the UK’s legally binding net zero target for 2050. Residence emissions align with the UK National Accounts, making them useful for analysing emissions alongside economic sectors. Footprint figures reflect the emissions embedded in imports — the carbon cost of things Britain buys from abroad.

All three have fallen since 1990. But the pace of decline tells a story.

Between 1990 and 2021, territorial emissions dropped by 53 per cent and residence emissions by 40 per cent. The carbon footprint fell by just 24 per cent over the same period — from 922 million tonnes to 705 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, according to the ONS. So while the UK has cut what it produces at home at pace, the emissions tied to what it consumes have proved harder to shift.

Final territorial statistics are published by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. The ONS publishes residence figures, and footprint estimates are associated with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.