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Britain’s greenhouse gas emissions fell 4% in 2024, government data shows
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on March 27, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 24, 2026
Global Banking & Finance Review®
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Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on March 27, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 24, 2026
In 2024, UK greenhouse gas emissions dropped by 4% due to coal plant closures and reduced industrial emissions, aligning with the net zero target.
By Susanna Twidale
LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions fell by 4% in 2024, provisional government data showed on Thursday, as the country’s last coal-fired power plant closed and emissions fell from the industrial sector.
Britain has a target to reach net zero emissions by 2050, which will require a huge increase in renewable electricity and a switch to cleaner electric vehicles.
Total greenhouse gas emissions were estimated at 371 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2024, down from 385 million tons in 2023, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) said.
The electricity sector saw the largest drop, with emissions down 15% due to higher electricity imports, greater renewable generation, and end to coal-fired power production, DESNZ said.
Britain last year became the first G7 country to end coal-fired power production.
Industrial sector emissions fell by 9%, which DESNZ said was largely due to blast furnace closures in the iron and steel industry and lower coal use across the sector.
Britain's biggest steelworks at Port Talbot in Wales ended production in September last year more than 100 years of steelmaking.
(Reporting by Susanna Twidale, Editing by Louise Heavens)
The article discusses the 4% reduction in the UK's greenhouse gas emissions in 2024.
Emissions fell due to the closure of coal-fired plants and reduced industrial emissions.
The UK aims to reach net zero emissions by 2050.
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