Greenhouse gas emissions in Bristol shot back up in 2021 after lockdown restrictions were lifted and due to particularly cold weather. Emissions fell massively in 2020 but then quickly rose back near to pre-Covid levels, according to the latest government data.
Between 2020 and 2021, emissions rose by more than five per cent in Bristol, from 1.5 million tonnes to 1.6 million — although this was still less than in 2019 and preceding years. The new data will help City Hall bosses focus their efforts on reducing emissions to net zero.
The Department for Energy Security & Net Zero publishes data each year looking at how much each local authority area emits greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide. This data shows Bristol’s progress on hitting net zero emissions by 2030.
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The emissions data report said: “Overall UK emissions increased in 2021 by five per cent, largely due to Covid-19 restrictions and colder temperatures increasing the use of heating in buildings, although emissions were still lower in 330 local authorities than they were in 2019.
“At a national level, transport greenhouse gas emissions increased by 9.3 per cent in 2021 compared to 2020. This was largely due to the easing of Covid-19 restrictions, allowing the public to travel more freely during 2021 compared to 2020 where they were instructed to stay at home as much as possible for large periods of time.”
A key reason for the increase in Bristol was the return of traffic to the city’s roads. In 2020 emissions from road transport fell by 20 per cent, and then increased in 2021 by 19 per cent. Another reason was colder than usual weather, which led to an increase in gas heating.
Emissions from gas boilers in Bristol homes have barely shifted in the past decade, while emissions from domestic electricity use more than halved. Decarbonising how the city heats homes will be a major area of focus and investment over the next few years, with planned expansions to district heat networks, grants for heat pumps and upgrades to insulation.
