The UK’s territorial greenhouse gas emissions fell by 3.5% last year compared to 2023, provisional Government figures have shown.
The Energy Department (DESNZ) said climate-warming emissions generated within the UK were 371.4 million tonnes of carbon equivalent in 2024.
This was 54.2% lower than 1990.
Under the UN Paris climate agreement, the UK is aiming to reduce its emissions by 68% by 2030 and 81% by 2035, compared to 1990 levels.
These targets are key steps in the country’s overall goal of achieving net zero by 2050, meaning it would no longer add to the total amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
DESNZ said the fall in emissions last year was largely driven by reductions from the electricity supply and industry sectors, which made up 10% and 13% of emissions respectively.
Electricity supply delivered the largest reduction, as higher electricity imports and increased renewable generation led to lower gas and coal use in UK power stations, it said.
Climate and energy website Carbon Brief said coal use fell to the lowest level last year since 1666 after the closure of the UK’s last coal-fired power station, Ratcliffe-on-Soar in Nottinghamshire in September.
The provisional figures, released on Thursday, also show domestic transport was the highest emitting sector in 2024, making up 30% of the UK’s emissions.
But emissions in this sector dropped by 1.5% in 2024, the figures show.
On the other hand, emissions increased by 2.3% in the second-highest emitting sector – buildings and product use, which made up 21% of UK totals.
This was due to higher gas use likely driven by an easing of energy and other cost pressures, DESNZ said.
This comes as prices continue to fall following the peaks seen during the 2022 energy crisis sparked by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Not included in the UK’s overall territorial emission totals were those from the fuel supplied to aircraft in the UK for international flights.
DESNZ figures show these rose sharply between 2021 to 2024, with an 8.6% rise last year, meaning they returned to pre-Covid levels.
Doug Parr, Greenpeace UK’s policy director, said the total reduction shows “the UK’s efforts to tackle climate change are working”.
“But while emissions are falling, we’re still very much dependent on expensive and polluting gas for our energy,” he added.
“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.”
The figures also showed that renewables generated a record 50.8% of the UK’s electricity in 2024, up from the previous high of 46.4% in 2023.
It marks the the first year in which renewables have exceeded 50%.
Jane Cooper, RenewableUK’s deputy chief executive, said: “These new figures show the pace at which our energy system is changing, benefiting billpayers and the climate.
“The UK is moving away rapidly from fossil fuels to low-cost renewables which bring down consumer bills, with wind providing the bulk of our clean power.
RenewablesUK is also urging the Government to rule out introducing a zonal pricing system that could see consumers paying different rates, saying it could be incredibly disruptive to investment.
“The Government has a golden opportunity to secure a record amount of new wind and solar farms in this year’s auction for new projects, but we can only achieve this if we get the right framework in place to attract billions in private investment,” she said.
Climate minister Kerry McCarthy said the emissions reduction “reflects last year’s closure of the country’s last coal-fired power station, and marks crucial steps towards a clean energy future”.
“There is a lot more work to be done, and our mission to achieve clean power by 2030 will help us tackle the climate emergency, while supporting jobs and economic growth,” she said.
