Greenhouse gas emissions

Summary

The 2021 total greenhouse gas results give a total figure of 8.8 million tonnes (MtCO₂e) for the 12-authority Lancashire area. This equates to 7.2 tonnes per person (UK=6).

At the local authority area level, emissions range from under 450 kilotonnes (kt) in Hyndburn to 1 Megatonne (Mt) or more in Ribble Valley, Lancaster and West Lancashire.

Emission figures for all three main greenhouse gases now published

In June 2023 the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy published emission figures for all three significant greenhouse gases which originate from UK territory. Carbon dioxide figures had been available since 2005, and this time figures for the other two, methane (CH₄) and nitrous oxide (N₂O), were published as far back as that year. This is only the second year of publication of the full set of greenhouse gas emissions, but in 2022 complete figures were only available for years 2018 to 2020.

Carbon dioxide equivalent and global warming potential

The values for methane and nitrous oxide are published as tonnes (1,000 kilograms) of the carbon dioxide equivalent value (CO₂e or CO₂-eq) for the gas. This is different from the true mass of the emissions in that it is multiplied by a factor known as the global warming potential (GWP) of the gas. Both methane and nitrous oxide have much higher GWPs than CO₂ (25 and 298 respectively). Some less significant greenhouse gases, such as fluorocarbons, have GWPs of over 1,000. Using the CO₂e measurement allows a total greenhouse gas figure to be calculated.

Microsoft Power BI report

A Microsoft Power BI report has been prepared which is similar to that in the Lancashire Insight Carbon dioxide emissions article. In this greenhouse gas version Table 1 is not static, but any of the years 2005-21 can be selected, and so can all of the three greenhouse gases plus the greenhouse gas total. An extra sector appears in the table, Waste management, as this can be a major source of methane, although this is also tapped and used for electricity generation. Agriculture can now be seen as a very major source of the other greenhouse gases, methane and nitrous oxide, especially in Ribble Valley and Lancaster. Figure 1 also has the selection by year and gas enabled. Figure 2 is on a new slide and compares the relative contribution of each gas for each district, with selection by year enabled. Figure 3 is similar to the Figure 2 on the CO₂ emissions article, but with rates for higher geographies included. It does not have a district filter, but has a filter for the greenhouse gas.