Downturn cuts emissions by a tenth

THE recession helped to reduce the UK's carbon dioxide emissions by almost a tenth last year, provisional figures from the government showed yesterday.

Emissions of the main greenhouse gas fell 9.8 per cent in 2009, while overall output of the group of six greenhouse gases fell by 8.6 per cent.

According to the Department for Energy and Climate Change, the estimated decrease in , from 532.8 million tonnes in 2008 to 480.9m tonnes in 2009, was primarily the result of a significant fall in energy consumption as the economy contracted.

A switch from coal to nuclear for electricity generation also had an impact, the department said.

The biggest falls in emissions in 2009 came from businesses and industrial processes, while a drop in household consumption of fossil fuels for space heating – because last year was slightly warmer than 2008 – led to a 5 per cent drop in domestic emissions.

Minister for energy and climate change, Joan Ruddock, said the provisional estimates for 2009 greenhouse gas emissions were "very promising" and showed that the UK was moving in the right direction.

"The significant reduction in emissions would no doubt have been impacted by the recent economic circumstances," she said.

"However, we should still recognise the good progress we are making towards meeting our targets, and should not underestimate the effort made so far by government, industry, business and homeowners alike."