- In the UK, a person’s carbon footprint is around 12.7 tonnes of GHG per year
- Transport accounts for the largest portion of an individual’s carbon footprint
- The average carbon footprint in the US is twice that of the UK
Carbon footprint refers to the amount of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) they’re directly and indirectly responsible for. It’s also measure by more than just how much fuel you burn, it also includes by emissions created in the production of everything you buy and use.
The average footprint for someone in the UK is around 12.7 tonnes per year, and transport accounts for the largest portion of this.
Below, we’ll dive further into this, how it is measured and what contributes to a person’s carbon footprint. We’ll also cover how the UK compares to other countries and whether the UK’s carbon footprint is set to decrease.
The average carbon footprint in the UK
The average carbon footprint in the UK is around 12.7 tonnes of GHG per person, per year.
Broken down, this is the equivalent to:
- Having your heating on for 80 days straight at full temperature
- Drive 23,000 miles, on average
- Eat approximately 1,000 beef steaks or 4,100 camemberts
While this might not seem like much, when you think about the 68.3 million people who live in the UK, it certainly adds up. This is why so many environmental charities, companies and manufacturers are encouraging individuals to think about their carbon footprint.
If you’re interested in reducing this, check out our guide: Twelve ways to reduce your carbon footprint.
How has the average carbon footprint in the UK changed over time?
The average carbon footprint in the UK has generally decreased over the past 50 years.
In the 1970s the average carbon footprint in the UK was around 14-15 tonnes of GHG emissions per person (not counting import/exports).
By the 1990s, the average carbon footprint decreased, down to around 12-14 tonnes of GHG emissions per person – around twice what it is today. The biggest contributors by far to overall emissions were electricity and heating, which accounted for over 30%.
Today, transport is the main culprit, accounting for around 28% of all UK emissions.
What are the biggest contributors to our carbon footprint in the UK?
The biggest contributors to our carbon footprint are transport, food production and waste, domestic energy consumption, and consumption of goods and services.
We’re basing this breakdown on estimates of emissions per person that include imports and exports, because a large portion of an individual’s carbon footprint comes from the consumption of food and goods that are imported from other countries.
1. Transport
Transport is the biggest contributor to the average UK footprint, accounting for a little under 30% of emissions – or around 3.1 tonnes of CO2 equivalent (CO2e) a year, per person.
Regular travel in petrol or diesel cars is the main reason for this – around 68% of Brits use cars as their primary means of commuting.
Air travel is another big contributor. Aviation accounts for around 8% of UK annual emissions, a huge amount for just one sector. Since most people in Britain take around one to two flights a year, there’s a good chance you’ve contributed to this.
Switching from a petrol-powered car to an electric vehicle or reducing the amount of times you take a plane (if you’re a frequent flyer) can help reduce your carbon footprint.
2. Food production and food waste
Food-related emissions account for around 25% – or 2.8 tonnes of CO2e – of the average Brit’s annual footprint.
This includes emissions from producing and transporting food, as well as food waste.
In the UK alone, agricultural production emits around 45 million tonnes of CO2e. That’s not even counting emissions from imported food – and nearly half of food consumed in the UK is imported.
Additionally, food waste in the UK is responsible for around 25 million tonnes of GHG a year, according to WRAP.
We have to eat to live, but there are things you can do to reduce your impact. Being conscious of food miles – the farther food travels, the higher its carbon footprint – can help, as well as limiting food waste.
3. Domestic energy consumption
Domestic energy consumption, including heating and electricity, accounts for a little under 20% of the average person’s carbon footprint in the UK. That’s the equivalent of roughly 2.2 tonnes of CO2e per year, per person.
Most of the emissions in this category are a result of us heating our homes with fossil fuels – around 74% of UK households use gas-powered heating.
Switching to alternative forms of heating, such as a heat pump or an electric boiler, can help reduce the contribution domestic heating makes to your carbon footprint. Heat pumps, for example, can lower your carbon footprint by roughly 44%.
4. Consumption of goods and services
The last big contributor to a person’s footprint in the UK is the consumption of goods or services. It accounts for a little over 15% of a person’s annual emissions, or around 1.9 tonnes of CO2e per year.
This includes any products you buy, from clothes to toilet paper, as well as recreational activities and services such as banking.
If you want to reduce your carbon footprint in this area, it’s best to be conscious of the environmental impact of the goods you buy, and the companies you give your money to.
Fast fashion, for example, is one of the most polluting industries in the world. Choosing to shop sparingly at fast fashion brands, or avoiding them altogether, can help reduce your carbon footprint.
How does the average footprint in the UK compare to the rest of the world?
The average footprint in the UK is similar to that of other European countries.
People in France have an average carbon footprint of 4.7 tonnes of GHG, whereas in Sweden it’s 10 tonnes of GHG.
In Germany, the average footprint is a little higher than France, but lower than Sweden, at a little under nine tonnes a year.
People in the US have almost double the carbon footprint of those in Europe, with the average person being responsible for 17.6 tonnes of GHG a year.
By contrast, people in some small countries, such as Bhutan, have a lower footprint than those in the UK, at around 4.6 tonnes of GHG per year. Bhutan is also one of the countries that’s winning the race to net zero, since its natural forests offset its emissions.
Is the average footprint in the UK set to decrease?
The average footprint in the UK is set to decrease as the government moves the country towards net zero emissions, but it’s unclear exactly how much it’ll decrease.
Under its net zero plan, the government wants to reduce emissions by 100% from 1990 levels by 2050.
The average UK resident’s carbon footprint would decrease alongside this – GHG emissions per person have already been cut by around 50% since the 1990s.
Whether a 100% reduction by 2050 is possible remains to be seen. The UK’s emissions as a whole are decreasing, with GHG emissions going down by 2.2% between 2021 and 2022.
However the government’s Climate Change Committee has said it’s not confident the UK will meet its preliminary 2030 targets. This delay could mean the UK won’t meet its 2050 targets either.
Summary
- Food-related emissions account for around 25% – or 2.8 tonnes of CO2e – of the average Brit’s annual footprint
- The last big contributor to a person’s carbon footprint in the UK is the consumption of goods or services. It accounts for a little over 15% of a person’s annual emissions
- Domestic energy consumption, including heating and electricity, accounts for a little under 20% of the average person’s carbon footprint in the UK
- People in France have an average footprint of 4.7 tonnes of GHG, whereas in Sweden it’s 10 tonnes of GHG
- People in the US have almost double the footprint of those in Europe, with the average person being responsible for 17.6 tonnes of GHG a year
