Cuts to Bristol’s greenhouse gas emissions stall
Emissions in Bristol had previously been steadily falling
Newly published climate data shows that reductions to Bristol’s greenhouse gas emissions have hit a plateau and are now falling much more slowly. The latest figures show that in 2024 the city emitted almost the same amount of greenhouse gases as in 2023 despite climate initiatives.
Each summer the government publishes how much greenhouse gases, like carbon dioxide or methane, are emitted in each council area. These are split into sectors like transport, industry, and heating and powering homes. The figures help show where climate action is needed.
Emissions in Bristol have been steadily falling, with the city in 2022 emitting roughly half of the gases emitted in 2005. But the latest data shows there was virtually no reduction in 2024, with transport emissions staying the same and industry even emitting more greenhouse gases.
The emissions data report said: “Between 2023 and 2024, greenhouse gas emissions decreased in 71 per cent (255) of the 361 local authority areas in the UK. This is consistent with the decrease seen in overall UK emissions in 2024. These statistics allow local authorities to track emissions trends in their areas over time, and measure progress against any targets.”
In 2023 Bristol emitted 1,493,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases, compared to 1,491,000 tonnes in 2024. The minuscule reduction follows a sharper fall from 2021 through to 2023, but a rise from 2020 to 2021 following the lifting of the pandemic restrictions.
The sector emitting the most greenhouse gases in Bristol remains transport. Despite the Clean Air Zone launching at the end of 2022, drivers are responsible for a third of the city’s emissions. The Clean Air Zone did reduce levels of nitrogen dioxide, an air pollutant that harms health, but overall traffic levels in the city centre actually increased from 2023 to 2024.
This is a large part of why Bristol City Council and the West of England Combined Authority are trying to encourage people to get around the city and region in different ways, instead of driving. New train stations are being built, bus lanes are making public transport more reliable, and bike lanes are making cycling safer. Electric buses launched last year, after the data was collected.
But the latest data shows there is a long way to travel before Bristol gets to net zero carbon emissions. Between 2023 and 2024, transport-related emissions fell by less than one per cent. Regardless of whether Bristol can get to net zero, global emissions are still rising and the effects of climate change are becoming more noticeable with this summer being the city’s hottest so far.