Scottish Greenhouse Gas Statistics 2023

In 2023, Scottish net emissions of the basket of seven greenhouse gases were estimated to be 39.6 million tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent (MtCO2e). Emissions reduced by 0.8 MtCO2e compared to 2022; a 1.9 per cent reduction.

• 39.6 MtCO2e in 2023
• Down 51.3% from 1990
• Down 1.9% from 2022

Chart 1: Scottish Greenhouse Gas Emissions, 1990 to 2023.

There was a very large reduction in emissions in the electricity generation sector of 0.8 MtCO2e in 2023, with a large reduction in gas-fired electricity generation being principally responsible for this drop. More modest reductions were seen in Fuel Supply (-0.4 MtCO2e); and Buildings & Product Uses, Domestic Transport, Industry and waste; which all reduced emissions  by 0.1 MtCO2e when compared to 2022.

Agriculture emissions were essentially unchanged between 2022 and 2023, falling very slightly by 0.1 per cent.

However, the above reductions were offset partially by increased emissions in international aviation and shipping (+0.3 MtCO2e) effectively returning to their pre-COVID levels; and ‘Land Use, Land Use Change And Forestry’ (LULUCF) increasing by 0.6 MtCO2e in the latest year due to a reduction in the forestry sink as a result of historical planting reaching maturity.

Between 1990 and 2023, there was a 51.3 per cent reduction in estimated net emissions, a 41.6 MtCO2e decrease, with all sectors except International Aviation and shipping falling over the period.  The contributions to this overall reduction, in descending order of significance, were:

• Reduction in Electricity Supply emissions (i.e. power stations) (-13.8 MtCO2e; 93.4 per cent reduction)
• Industrial emissions fell 7.5 MtCO2e (59.5 per cent reduction)
• ‘Land Use, Land Use Change And Forestry’ (LULUCF) reducing its net emissions over the period, reducing by 5.5 MtCO2e since 1990.
• Reduction in Waste Management emissions (such as Landfill) (-4.6 MtCO2e; a 73.1 per cent reduction)
• Reduction in Fuel supply emissions (-3.7 MtCO2e; a 55.9 per cent reduction). Reduction in Buildings and product use emissions (-3.4 MtCO2e; a 31.0 per cent reduction)
• Domestic transport fell by 2.4 MtCO2e (a 17.3 per cent reduction)
• Agricultural emissions fell by 1.1 MtCO2e (an 13.0 per cent reduction)

International aviation and shipping emissions increased by 0.4 MtCO2e

More details can be found in Section B.

MtCO2e refers to million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.  This is a consistent measure of assessing the contribution of greenhouse gases to global warming.

The Baseline Period uses 1990 for carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide and 1995 for hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, sulphur hexafluoride and nitrogen trifluoride.

Revisions To Greenhouse Gas Emissions Statistics

Note that as part of this release all of the figures have been revised since the previous publication, to incorporate methodological improvements and new data.  Comparing these 2022 figures with the 2022 figures published a year ago will therefore give a different year-on-year percentage change; one which is incorrect and should not be used. The correct percentage changes are given in this publication and associated tables. Details of these revisions can be found later in this statistical release in Section D.