New UK emissions data: UK transport sector stuck in the slow lane on tackling climate change

Press release
Minister urged to get tougher on slashing climate-wrecking emissions
  Published:  06 Feb 2018    |      1 minute read

UK transport sector is still failing to play its part in tackling climate change, says Friends of the Earth as official figures revealed a reduction in UK greenhouse gas emissions in 2016.

The figures show that transport is the largest sector for greenhouse gas pollution in 2016. Emissions from the sector rose two per cent between 2015 and 2016. And despite significant reductions from other sectors since 1990, emissions from transport have only fallen by two per cent over the same period.

Friends of the Earth climate campaigner Simon Bullock said:

“Despite this welcome fall in climate-wrecking pollution, the transport sector is still failing to play its part in slashing emissions. 

“Transport Secretary Chris Grayling must play catch-up fast – his department can’t continue to crawl along in the slow lane when it comes to tackling climate change.

“And if we want to play our part in international efforts to prevent global warming we must do even more, raising our ambition to match the Paris Agreement and taking immediate measures such as allowing communities to build onshore wind and solar and ensuring all new homes are zero carbon.”

ENDS