UK's CO2 emissions higher than official figures, government admits

David Adam
guardian.co.uk,
Thursday July 3, 2008

Britain's greenhouse gas emissions are higher than official figures suggest, the government has admitted.
The environment department Defra says UK emissions are higher than previously stated if carbon pollution linked to imported goods is included. Official figures only count direct emissions within national boundaries, so miss out the carbon cost of goods manufactured elsewhere.
A report this week from several international groups says carbon dioxide emissions associated with UK consumption grew 18% between 1992 and 2004, once these imports are accounted for. Official figures show UK CO2 pollution falling 5% over that period
The environment secretary, Hilary Benn, said: "Under international climate change agreements, we only have direct influence over our domestic emissions – and they are, and will remain, the basis for these commitments. But as we move to a low carbon economy, we must help businesses and individuals to understand and reduce the environmental impacts of the products and services they produce, sell or consume, wherever in the world they are made."
The report was commissioned by Defra and prepared by experts at the Stockholm Environment Institute and the University of Sydney.
It follows a series of analyses over the last year that have pointed out that official government figures underestimate the UK's contribution to global warming.
In December, a team of economists led by Dieter Helm at Oxford University, said UK progress on cutting greenhouse gases was an "illusion". Counting pollution from aviation, shipping, overseas trade and tourism, which are not measured in the official figures, meant that emissions of UK greenhouse gases – not just CO2 – have risen 19% since 1990.
Officially, Britain's output is 15% lower over that period – placing it on track to meet its 12.5% target under the Kyoto Protocol.