We use cookies to collect anonymous data to help us improve your site browsing experience.

Click 'Accept all cookies' to agree to all cookies that collect anonymous data. To only allow the cookies that make the site work, click 'Use essential cookies only.' Visit 'Set cookie preferences' to control specific cookies.

Set cookie preferences

Your cookie preferences have been saved. You can change your cookie settings at any time.

Publication - Statistics

Scotland’s Carbon Footprint 1998-2021

Published
8 April 2025
Directorate
Chief Economist Directorate, +1 more … Energy and Climate Change Directorate
Topic
Environment and climate change

Estimates of Scotland's greenhouse gas emissions on a consumption basis for the period 1998 to 2021.

Supporting documents

Figure 1: Between 2020 and 2021, Scotland’s carbon footprint (emissions from all greenhouse gases) increased by 14.6 per cent from 51.6 to 59.2 million tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent (MtCO2e) in 2021.

Scotland’s Carbon Footprint, 1998-2021. Values in MtCO2e

Line chart showing a rise from 2001 to a peak of 81.2 MtCO2e in 2007 before falling sharply after 2007 (coinciding with the recession) and, with the exception of 2012, 2018 and 2021, has fallen each subsequent year.

Other Key Points

  • Between 2020 and 2021, Scotland’s carbon footprint (emissions from all greenhouse gases) increased by 14.6 per cent from 51.6 to 59.2 million tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent (MtCO2e) in 2021.
  • Between 1998 and 2021, Scotland’s carbon footprint fell by 19.9 per cent from 73.9 MtCO2e in 1998 to 59.2 MtCO2e in 2021
  • Scotland’s carbon footprint rose continuously from 2001 to a peak of 81.7 MtCO2e in 2007 before falling sharply after 2007 (coinciding with the recession) and, with the exception of 2012, 2018, and 2021, has fallen each subsequent year. However, the 2021 value is highest seen since 2015.  The overall reduction between the 2007 peak and 2021 is 27.6 per cent.

 

These statistics are official statistics. Official statistics are statistics that are produced by crown bodies, those acting on behalf of crown bodies, or those specified in statutory orders, as defined in the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007.

 

Scottish Government statistics are regulated by the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR). OSR sets the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics that all producers of official statistics should adhere to.

 

Impact of coronavirus (COVID-19) on emissions

2020 covered the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the national lockdowns and travel restrictions. This impacted consumption-based emissions, especially on emissions from transport generated directly from households, which reduced by 23.9 per cent in 2020.  These direct travel emissions increased in 2021 by 13.1 per cent. Household heating emissions also fell in 2020 by 5.2 per cent and rose by 8.1 per cent in 2021.

 

Revisions to previous estimates of consumption-based emissions.

There have been no substantial revisions to previous estimates in this release of Scotland’s carbon footprint.  Further detail is provided in the section Revisions since the previous Carbon Footprint for Scotland.

 

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank John Barrett, Anne Owen and Jonathan Norman of the Sustainability Research Institute (SRI) at Leeds University for their invaluable support in compiling the figures and for continually improving the methodologies and data used in the Scottish Carbon Footprint statistics release.

Back to top