UK's 'carbon footprint' up 10% since 1990 due to rise in manufactured imports
Thu 25 April 2013
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Locally produced emissions of CO2 have been cut by around 20% in the last two decades but the overall UK carbon footprint has risen by 10% or more due to increased imports as incomes have grown and manufacturing has shifted to other countries as part of the broader globalisation process. This is one of the leading findings of a new report by the Committee on Climate Change (CCC).
The UK is second highest importer in the world of these so-called "embodied" emissions.
The report highlights the essential role of a global deal to drive emissions reductions across countries and achieve climate objectives. This would also reduce the UK’s imported emissions which, together with deep cuts in domestic emissions required under the Climate Change Act, would reduce the UK’s carbon footprint by around 70% over the next decades.
The CCC report considers whether carbon policies have contributed to the shift in manufacturing, but concludes that this is not the case. It also considers competitiveness risks in future due to low carbon policies, including the Electricity Market Reform (EMR) aimed at supporting the transition to a low-carbon power system. The report finds that these risks are manageable within policies and funding already announced by the Government. These policies could increase electricity bills for the typical household by around £5 in 2020.
David Kennedy, Chief Executive of the Committee on Climate Change, said: “The focus on reducing UK production emissions remains appropriate, given that these form a major part of our carbon footprint, and given available policy levers. Clearly we also need to reduce imported emissions. This highlights the fundamental need to reduce global emissions in order to achieve climate objectives, and to do this through a new global deal.”
The report confirms that key low-carbon technologies (in power, heat and surface transport) offer significant savings over fossil fuel on a lifecycle basis (i.e. factoring in emissions from manufacture, operation and disposal).
The CCC also assesses the carbon footprint of shale gas and finds that this can be comparable with conventional natural gas, and lower than LNG, if appropriate regulatory arrangements are in place. It concludes that there may be a role for UK shale gas substituting imported gas, for example in meeting heat demand, if other environmental concerns can be addressed. But the report is very clear that shale gas should not be seen as a viable alternative to investment in low-carbon technologies in the power sector.
In a response to the report's publication WWF's head of climate and energy policy, Nick Molho, said: “Today’s report shows the importance of reaching a global agreement to reduce carbon emissions by 2015.
“But with two out of the next three climate change summits taking place in the EU, an ambitious global deal will only materialise if the EU’s key member states show a strong commitment to decarbonise their own economies.
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