Carbon dioxide emissions from transportation in the United Kingdom 1990-2022

Transportation emissions in the United Kingdom increased by an estimated 3.8 percent in 2022 to 112.5 million metric tons of carbon dioxide (MtCO₂). This was the second consecutive year that transportation emissions increased. The outbreak of COVID-19 caused UK transportation emissions to plummet almost 20 percent percent in 2020, which greatly contributed to overall UK emissions reductions that year. Although transportation emissions rebounded in the following years, they remained below pre-pandemic levels.

Transportation is the largest source of UK emissions

The energy supply sector was once the largest source of emissions in the UK, but a shift away from coal-fired power and a transition to cleaner energy sources has significantly cut emissions from this sector. As a result, energy supply emissions have fallen below those emitted by transportation, which is now the largest source of UK emissions.

UK road transportation emissions

Road vehicles are a major source of pollution in the UK, with passenger cars the largest source of transportation emissions. Passenger cars are followed by heavy goods vehicles and light duty vehicles.