The UK economy’s carbon intensity fell by 7.7% last year – almost three times the global average of 2.6% and greater than any other country in the G20.
This was largely owing to a decline in coal consumption, which halved last year, improving energy efficiency and moderate economic growth, according to a report by PwC.
It also shows the UK leads the G20 in having the highest decarbonisation rate since 2000, falling by 3.7% each year – significantly better than the average reductions needed by countries to meet their Paris Climate Agreement targets.
PwC’s director of climate change, Jonathan Grant, said: “The UK led the world in the industrial revolution and is now leading the low-carbon revolution.”
Britain has experienced a 13% reduction in total energy consumption this century, owing to a combination of efficiency improvements and a structural shift away from heavy industry. In this time, renewable energy has more than tripled, the economy has grown by more than 31%, while coal now represents just 7% of the country’s total energy consumption, down from 23% in 2012.
The minister of state for climate change and industry, Claire Perry, said: “This report highlights the results of our efforts to phase out dirty coal power while investing in renewable technologies.”