A2: Emissions of greenhouse gases from natural resources, waste and fluorinated gases
Short Description
This indicator tracks the changes in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from natural resources, waste and fluorinated gases as described in the Powering Up Britain: Net Zero Growth Plan. GHGs contribute to global climate change which is a pressure on many aspects of our environment. The indicator shows the annual net amount of GHG emissions from land use and land use change, forestry, agriculture, and waste sectors and from the use of fluorinated gases. It measures GHG emissions on a ‘territorial’ basis, which means that only emissions occurring within England’s borders are included.
Readiness and links to data
Underlying data are published annually in the Greenhouse Gas Inventories 1990 to 2021. Additional information is also published annually in UK Spatial Emissions Methodology 2021 and mapping of the UK Greenhouse Gas Inventory sectors to the sectors used in this indicator is available in the Net Zero Strategy: emissions taxonomy.
Notes on indicator
The data in this indicator are reflective of the current definition for GHGs from natural resources, waste and fluorinated gases, they may be subject to change in future updates.
All emission estimates include the basket of 7 GHGs set out in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) Kyoto Protocol: carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) and nitrogen trifluoride (NF3). The estimates use the global warming potentials from the IPCC's Fifth Assessment Report (AR5 without feedback).
The whole time series is revised annually to take account of any methodological improvements, reflect the latest data, and follow the latest international guidelines.
In 2021, the total net emissions from the sectors included within this indicator accounted for approximately 15% of the total emission reported for England.
Indicator components
Figure A2: Emissions of greenhouse gases from natural resources, waste and fluorinated gases in England, 1990 to 2021
Table A2: Emissions of greenhouse gases from natural resources, waste and fluorinated gases in England, 1990 to 2021
| Year | Agriculture | Fluorinated gases | Net emissions from land use & land use change | Net removals by forestry sink | Net total including forestry sink | Waste |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 34.17 | 14.39 | 10.01 | -7.45 | 111.10 | 59.98 |
| 1991 | 33.91 | 14.92 | 10.02 | -7.47 | 111.84 | 60.47 |
| 1992 | 33.65 | 15.44 | 10.03 | -7.49 | 112.59 | 60.96 |
| 1993 | 33.39 | 15.97 | 10.04 | -7.51 | 113.34 | 61.46 |
| 1994 | 33.13 | 16.49 | 10.05 | -7.53 | 114.09 | 61.95 |
| 1995 | 32.87 | 17.02 | 10.05 | -7.55 | 114.83 | 62.44 |
| 1996 | 32.91 | 16.87 | 9.88 | -7.65 | 114.04 | 62.02 |
| 1997 | 32.95 | 16.72 | 9.71 | -7.75 | 113.24 | 61.61 |
| 1998 | 32.99 | 16.57 | 9.55 | -7.85 | 112.45 | 61.19 |
| 1999 | 33.11 | 9.79 | 10.09 | -7.95 | 103.43 | 58.39 |
| 2000 | 31.78 | 8.48 | 10.14 | -8.04 | 98.17 | 55.81 |
| 2001 | 29.87 | 8.63 | 10.05 | -8.15 | 94.68 | 54.29 |
| 2002 | 29.81 | 8.83 | 9.88 | -8.27 | 93.56 | 53.32 |
| 2003 | 29.96 | 9.30 | 9.83 | -8.35 | 90.42 | 49.67 |
| 2004 | 30.46 | 8.20 | 9.40 | -8.39 | 85.35 | 45.68 |
| 2005 | 30.53 | 8.76 | 9.29 | -8.41 | 83.58 | 43.41 |
| 2006 | 29.96 | 9.29 | 9.26 | -8.37 | 80.85 | 40.71 |
| 2007 | 29.70 | 9.49 | 8.94 | -8.44 | 77.57 | 37.88 |
| 2008 | 29.75 | 9.64 | 8.59 | -8.58 | 72.94 | 33.53 |
| 2009 | 29.27 | 9.85 | 8.67 | -8.68 | 69.12 | 30.01 |
| 2010 | 29.18 | 10.57 | 8.70 | -8.80 | 65.22 | 25.57 |
| 2011 | 28.81 | 11.13 | 8.51 | -8.87 | 63.13 | 23.55 |
| 2012 | 29.02 | 11.19 | 8.51 | -8.81 | 62.38 | 22.46 |
| 2013 | 28.41 | 11.48 | 8.23 | -8.81 | 59.38 | 20.07 |
| 2014 | 29.40 | 11.49 | 8.23 | -8.85 | 58.47 | 18.20 |
| 2015 | 29.54 | 11.52 | 7.85 | -8.79 | 57.30 | 17.19 |
| 2016 | 28.85 | 11.54 | 8.32 | -8.84 | 56.38 | 16.50 |
| 2017 | 29.28 | 11.57 | 7.99 | -8.75 | 57.02 | 16.93 |
| 2018 | 28.87 | 11.14 | 8.00 | -8.70 | 56.28 | 16.98 |
| 2019 | 28.74 | 10.63 | 7.83 | -8.66 | 55.36 | 16.82 |
| 2020 | 27.49 | 9.85 | 7.74 | -8.55 | 52.18 | 15.65 |
| 2021 | 28.15 | 9.27 | 7.67 | -8.52 | 51.79 | 15.22 |
Trend description for A2
Although there was a small initial increase in net emissions of GHGs from natural resources, waste and fluorinated gases in England between 1990 and 1995, total emissions have fallen by 53% across the full time period covered by this indicator, from 111 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (MtCO2e) in 1990 to 52 MtCO2e in 2021. Net GHG emissions have fallen from all sectors included within the indicator; however, the greatest reduction has been achieved in the waste sector (45 MtCO2e or 75%). While emissions from both fluorinated gases and agriculture, and net emissions from land use and land use change have fallen by 36%, 18% and 23% respectively, and net removals by the forestry sector have increased by 14%, the total net improvements in these 4 sectors combined (15 MtCO2e) is one-third of that achieved in the waste sector.
More recently, in the latest 10 years for example, emissions of GHGs from the waste sector have continued to fall considerably, whereas net emissions from land use and land use change, and emissions from fluorinated gases have fallen more gradually. Emissions from agriculture and net removals by the forestry sector have fluctuated but show little overall change between 2011 and 2021.
Assessment of change
A decrease (improvement) in emissions of GHGs from natural resources, waste and fluorinated gases has been observed over the short, medium and long-term assessment periods. This assessment does not consider whether any improvement is on a sufficient scale for meeting targets.
Change since 2018 has also been assessed. There has been a decrease (improvement) in emissions of GHGs from natural resources, waste and fluorinated gases since 2018. However, this is based on 4 data points so should be considered as indicative and not evidence of a clear trend.
Further information on this assessment, along with details on the methodology, is provided in the Assessment background page. Summaries by 25 Year Environment Plan goal and information on indicator links are presented in the Assessment results pages.
Table A2: Assessment of change
| Component | Subcomponent | Period | Date range | Percentage change | Smoothing function | Assessment of change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A2 | Net total including forestry sink | Short term | 2015 to 2020 | -6.86 | Loess | Improvement |
| A2 | Net total including forestry sink | Medium term | 2010 to 2020 | -20.35 | Loess | Improvement |
| A2 | Net total including forestry sink | Long term | 1990 to 2020 | -52.53 | Loess | Improvement |
Note that assessment categories for short, medium and long term were assigned based on smoothed data, so percentage change figures in Table A2 may differ from unsmoothed values quoted elsewhere. Percentage change refers to the difference seen from the first to last year in the specified date range.