We saw some new developments after 1960. While the United States kept its place as the top CO2 emitter until 2005, Asian countries also started to emerge, led by China. The graph above shows the development of the current top five CO₂-emitting countries since 1960, with the United Kingdom presented for comparison.

In 2019, UK net emissions of carbon dioxide were provisionally estimated to be 351.5 million tonnes (Mt), 3.9 per cent lower than 2018 (365.7 Mt). Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the main greenhouse gas, accounting for 81 per cent of total UK greenhouse gas emissions in 2019.

UK’s Carbon Footprint 1997 – 2018 The carbon footprint peaked at 1,018 million tonnes carbon dioxide equivalents in 2004 and in 2018 was 31 per cent lower than this. GHG emissions relating to imports rose 16 per cent from 1997 (when this data series began) to a peak in 2007 and in 2018 were 23 per cent lower than 1997.

The biggest polluter was RWE UK, which emitted 12.7 million metric tons of CO2. RWE is a Germany-based multinational energy company that owns a number of power stations across Britain. The second biggest emitter was Tata Steel, the India-based steel manufacturing company.

The UK ranked 17th with 1.1% of global emissions.

China

The energy supply sector consists of emissions from fuel combustion for electricity generation and other energy production sources. It is estimated to have been responsible for 21% of UK greenhouse gas emissions in 2019, with carbon dioxide being by far the most prominent gas for this sector (94%).

World major city air quality ranking

Real-time California Cleanest city ranking