Imports mean CO2 is rising, not falling

Published on Thursday 2 September 2010 14:27

The UK's greenhouse gas emissions have risen in the past two decades rather than declined, because of the carbon "embedded" in imported goods, according to the government's chief scientific adviser.

Professor Bob Watson said there was a need to be more open about the rises in emissions generated by products made in places such as China for the UK market.

Under the current system, greenhouse gases created during the manufacture of goods are counted in the country where they are made, not used.

As a result, the true extent of the emissions caused by the UK is masked, as many goods consumed here, from electrical products to clothes, are manufactured abroad.

Prof Watson said: "At face value UK emissions look as if they have decreased 15 or 16 per cent since 1990.

"But if you take in carbon embedded in our imports, our emissions have gone up about 12 per cent."