DATA BRIEF 017 August 2026 Net Zero

Net Zero

The UK has cut territorial emissions 53% since 1990. Coal is gone. Wind now generates more electricity than any other source. But transport emissions have barely moved in 34 years, consumption-based emissions tell a very different story to the official target measure, and the heat pump economics depend almost entirely on which tariff you choose. The data is more complicated than either side admits.

DESNZ GHG Emissions 1990–2024 | gov.uk DESNZ DUKES Chapter 5 | gov.uk ONS/Defra Carbon Footprint | gov.uk Ofgem Price Cap Q4 2025 | ofgem.gov.uk
0.7%
coal's share of UK electricity generation in 2024 — down from 72% in 1990
–53%
UK territorial emissions since 1990 — but only –24% on a consumption basis
–11%
transport emissions since 1990 — the slowest-decarbonising major sector
–50%
UK leads the G7 on emissions reduction since 1990
£5,000
median heat pump cost after the £7,500 government grant
DATA BRIEF 017 · CONTEXT

The Data Context

The UK’s headline net zero measure counts emissions released within its borders. That definition matters: the grid has changed dramatically, but emissions embodied in imports are not included in the statutory target; sector performance also varies sharply. The six graphics below set out the transformation of electricity, the distinction between territorial and consumption measures, the UK’s G7 position, what an electricity bill pays for, the sectors that have moved least, and the tariff-dependent economics of replacing a gas boiler with a heat pump.

DATA BRIEF 017 · GRAPHIC 083

Britain's Electricity Grid Has Been Transformed — Coal Is Gone

In 1990, coal generated 72% of Britain's electricity. In 2024, it generated 0.7%. On 30 September 2024, Ratcliffe-on-Soar — the last coal-fired power station in Britain — closed, making the UK the first G7 nation to fully phase out coal power. Wind and solar now account for 34% of generation; combined with nuclear and other renewables, low-carbon sources generated over 60% of electricity in 2024. In 2025, renewables hit a record 52.1% share — the first time renewables exceeded half of UK generation in a full calendar year.

Graphic 083
Bar chart comparing UK electricity generation mix in 1990 (72% coal) vs 2024 (34% wind and solar, 0.7% coal).
Cheat Sheet 083 · Download
Cheat sheet 083: Net Zero data highlights and source URLs.
DATA BRIEF 017 · GRAPHIC 084

The Official Climate Target Shows –53% — The Full Picture Shows –24%

The UK's net zero target is measured against territorial emissions — greenhouse gases physically produced within UK borders. On that basis, emissions have fallen 53% since 1990, from 791 to 373 MtCO₂e. But the UK's consumption-based footprint — which adds the carbon embedded in imports and subtracts exports — has fallen only 24%, from 921 to 699 MtCO₂e (2023, latest available). The gap between the two measures was 315 MtCO₂e in 2023 — roughly equivalent to the UK's entire territorial annual emissions.

Graphic 084
Two large numbers showing UK territorial emissions cut 53% vs consumption-based cut of only 24% since 1990.
Cheat Sheet 084 · Download
Cheat sheet 084: Net Zero data highlights and source URLs.
DATA BRIEF 017 · GRAPHIC 085

The UK Has Cut Emissions Further Than Any Other G7 Country Since 1990

The UK reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 50% between 1990 and 2023 — more than any other G7 nation. Germany is second at –46%. Canada is the only G7 country whose emissions have risen, up 29% since 1990, though its population grew 40% over the same period meaning per-capita emissions fell around 20%. The United States has cut just 4% in 33 years.

Graphic 085
Horizontal bar chart showing G7 emissions changes since 1990, UK leading at minus 50%, Canada the only country with rising emissions at plus 29%.
Cheat Sheet 085 · Download
Cheat sheet 085: Net Zero data highlights and source URLs.
DATA BRIEF 017 · GRAPHIC 086

Only 39p in Every £1 on Your Electricity Bill Is the Cost of the Actual Power

Of every pound spent on electricity, 39p goes to wholesale energy costs — the actual cost of generating the power. The remaining 61p covers network charges (24%), green levies and policy costs (18%), supplier operating costs (15%), and VAT (4%). The typical annual electricity bill under the Ofgem October–December 2025 price cap is £1,755, at a unit rate of 26.35p/kWh. Green levies — which include the Renewables Obligation, Feed-in Tariff, and ECO scheme — account for 18% of the electricity bill, not the majority that is sometimes claimed.

Graphic 086
Stacked bar showing electricity bill components: wholesale 39%, network 24%, green levies 18%, operating 15%, VAT 4%.
Cheat Sheet 086 · Download
Cheat sheet 086: Net Zero data highlights and source URLs.
DATA BRIEF 017 · GRAPHIC 087

Electricity Has Decarbonised by 81% — Transport Has Barely Moved

Electricity generation has delivered the single largest emissions reduction of any UK sector, falling 81% since 1990 (from 205 to 39 MtCO₂e), driven almost entirely by the coal phase-out. Industry has fallen 70%. But domestic transport — the UK's single largest emitting sector since 2014 — has fallen just 11% in 34 years (from 127 to 113 MtCO₂e). Agriculture has fallen only 16%. Buildings emissions actually rose slightly in 2024 due to higher gas consumption for heating. The EV transition is too recent to show meaningfully in 2024 sector data.

Graphic 087
Paired bar chart showing sector emissions in 1990 vs 2024, electricity down 81%, transport down only 11%.
Cheat Sheet 087 · Download
Cheat sheet 087: Net Zero data highlights and source URLs.
DATA BRIEF 017 · GRAPHIC 088

A Heat Pump Costs £5,000 Net of Grant — Whether It's Cheaper to Run Depends on Your Tariff

The median air source heat pump installation costs £12,500, according to official Boiler Upgrade Scheme statistics. After the current £7,500 government grant, the net cost to a homeowner is approximately £5,000 — compared to £2,000–£4,500 for a gas boiler replacement (industry estimate; no official dataset exists for boiler costs). The running cost comparison depends almost entirely on the electricity tariff. On a standard tariff (26p/kWh), a heat pump costs roughly £60–£120 per year more than a modern gas boiler. On a heat-pump-specific tariff (around 14p/kWh), it is approximately £250 per year cheaper. Against an old, inefficient G-rated boiler, a heat pump saves around £340 per year regardless of tariff.

Graphic 088
Comparison card showing heat pump vs gas boiler upfront cost and annual running cost scenarios by tariff type.
Cheat Sheet 088 · Download
Cheat sheet 088: Net Zero data highlights and source URLs.
DATA BRIEF 017 · CAVEATS

Read Before You Record

The headline changes are robust, but the accounting boundary, comparison period, and assumed energy tariff affect the conclusion. Keep these three qualifications with any retelling of the brief.

Three important caveats
  1. Territorial emissions are the statutory basis of the UK’s net zero target, but they exclude the greenhouse gases embedded in imported goods and services. Consumption-based estimates are published later and use a different accounting boundary, so they should not be treated as interchangeable annual series.
  2. International comparisons depend on the dataset, gases covered, treatment of land use (LULUCF), and baseline. The G7 comparison here excludes LULUCF and uses 2023 as the latest common source year.
  3. Heat-pump running costs are illustrative rather than a universal household saving. They depend on the property’s heat demand, insulation, heat-pump efficiency, boiler efficiency, gas and electricity prices, and — above all in this comparison — the electricity tariff selected.
DATA BRIEF 017 · SOURCES

Sources

The full source list below links to the underlying official data and supporting analysis used in this brief.