Scotland's Carbon Footprint: 1998-2018

15th March 2022

Scotland's Chief Statistician today published Scotland's Carbon Footprint: 1998-2018. This publication provides estimates of Scotland's greenhouse gas emissions on a consumption basis; that is emissions that are associated with the spending of Scottish residents on goods and services, wherever in the world these emissions arise, together with emissions directly generated by Scottish households.

Key points

Between 2017 and 2018, Scotland’s carbon footprint (emissions from all greenhouse gases) increased by 2.6 per cent from 68.7 in 2017 to 70.4 million tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent (MtCO2e) in 2018. This increase was mainly related to emissions associated with imported goods and services although domestic emissions also increased in 2018.
Between 1998 and 2017, Scotland’s carbon footprint fell by 30.5 per cent, from 101.3 MtCO2e in 1998 to 70.4 MtCO2e in 2018.
Scotland’s carbon footprint rose from 2004 onwards to a peak of 107.6 MtCO2e in 2007 before falling sharply in the following years (coinciding with the recession) and, with the exception of 2012 and 2018, has fallen each subsequent year. The overall reduction between the 2007 peak and 2018 is 34.5 per cent.

Read the full statistical publication at
https://www.gov.scot/publications/scotlands-carbon-footprint-1998-2018/