Methane (CH4) emissions from Waste (Mt CO2e) in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Methane (CH4) emissions from Waste (Mt CO2e) was 22.62 Mt CO2e in 2024. ▼ Falling
Methane (CH4) emissions from Waste in United Kingdom, 1970–2024
Source: EDGAR (Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research) Community GHG Database, Joint Research Centre (JRC) - European Commission. Measured in Mt CO2e.
Analysis
United Kingdom recorded 22.62 Mt CO2e for methane (ch4) emissions from waste in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 55 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.6% on the previous year and down 31.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, methane (ch4) emissions from waste in United Kingdom peaked at 74.64 Mt CO2e in 1996 and was at its lowest, 22.62 Mt CO2e, in 2024.
That places United Kingdom 14th out of 203 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 55 years of available data.
Methane (CH4) emissions from Waste (Mt CO2e) in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | Mt CO2e | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 62.1 Mt CO2e | — |
| 1971 | 62.22 Mt CO2e | +0.2% |
| 1972 | 62.37 Mt CO2e | +0.2% |
| 1973 | 62.48 Mt CO2e | +0.2% |
| 1974 | 62.54 Mt CO2e | +0.1% |
| 1975 | 62.6 Mt CO2e | +0.1% |
| 1976 | 62.71 Mt CO2e | +0.2% |
| 1977 | 62.64 Mt CO2e | -0.1% |
| 1978 | 62.63 Mt CO2e | -0.0% |
| 1979 | 62.6 Mt CO2e | -0.0% |
| 1980 | 62.47 Mt CO2e | -0.2% |
| 1981 | 62.44 Mt CO2e | -0.0% |
| 1982 | 62.4 Mt CO2e | -0.1% |
| 1983 | 62.37 Mt CO2e | -0.0% |
| 1984 | 62.38 Mt CO2e | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 62.28 Mt CO2e | -0.1% |
| 1986 | 62.31 Mt CO2e | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 62.59 Mt CO2e | +0.4% |
| 1988 | 62.84 Mt CO2e | +0.4% |
| 1989 | 63.03 Mt CO2e | +0.3% |
| 1990 | 71.64 Mt CO2e | +13.7% |
| 1991 | 72.26 Mt CO2e | +0.9% |
| 1992 | 72.21 Mt CO2e | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 72.75 Mt CO2e | +0.7% |
| 1994 | 73.28 Mt CO2e | +0.7% |
| 1995 | 74.4 Mt CO2e | +1.5% |
| 1996 | 74.64 Mt CO2e | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 74.47 Mt CO2e | -0.2% |
| 1998 | 73.45 Mt CO2e | -1.4% |
| 1999 | 70.92 Mt CO2e | -3.4% |
| 2000 | 68.77 Mt CO2e | -3.0% |
| 2001 | 67.91 Mt CO2e | -1.3% |
| 2002 | 66.9 Mt CO2e | -1.5% |
| 2003 | 64.01 Mt CO2e | -4.3% |
| 2004 | 60.8 Mt CO2e | -5.0% |
| 2005 | 58.56 Mt CO2e | -3.7% |
| 2006 | 55.55 Mt CO2e | -5.1% |
| 2007 | 52.6 Mt CO2e | -5.3% |
| 2008 | 49.07 Mt CO2e | -6.7% |
| 2009 | 45.59 Mt CO2e | -7.1% |
| 2010 | 42.01 Mt CO2e | -7.9% |
| 2011 | 39.69 Mt CO2e | -5.5% |
| 2012 | 37.63 Mt CO2e | -5.2% |
| 2013 | 35.08 Mt CO2e | -6.8% |
| 2014 | 32.85 Mt CO2e | -6.4% |
| 2015 | 31.16 Mt CO2e | -5.1% |
| 2016 | 29.95 Mt CO2e | -3.9% |
| 2017 | 29.04 Mt CO2e | -3.0% |
| 2018 | 28.07 Mt CO2e | -3.3% |
| 2019 | 26.98 Mt CO2e | -3.9% |
| 2020 | 25.62 Mt CO2e | -5.1% |
| 2021 | 24.73 Mt CO2e | -3.5% |
| 2022 | 23.86 Mt CO2e | -3.5% |
| 2023 | 23.22 Mt CO2e | -2.7% |
| 2024 | 22.62 Mt CO2e | -2.6% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 22.62 Mt CO2e is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.45 Mt CO2e, 15.6× the median. (77 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 22.62 Mt CO2e is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 1.98 Mt CO2e, 11.4× the median. (49 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 62.49 Mt CO2e | 62.1 Mt CO2e | 62.71 Mt CO2e | 10 |
| 1980s | 62.51 Mt CO2e | 62.28 Mt CO2e | 63.03 Mt CO2e | 10 |
| 1990s | 73 Mt CO2e | 70.92 Mt CO2e | 74.64 Mt CO2e | 10 |
| 2000s | 58.98 Mt CO2e | 45.59 Mt CO2e | 68.77 Mt CO2e | 10 |
| 2010s | 33.25 Mt CO2e | 26.98 Mt CO2e | 42.01 Mt CO2e | 10 |
| 2020s | 24.01 Mt CO2e | 22.62 Mt CO2e | 25.62 Mt CO2e | 5 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More environment data for United Kingdom
- Grazing land use over the long-term, annual growth rate -1.1 % change on previous year (2025)
- Grazing land use over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Grazing land use over the long-term, per capita 0.1522 hectares per person (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -3.13 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -7.25 Percentage change (2025)
- Grazing land use over the long-term, per square kilometre 44.21 hectares per square kilometre (2024)
- Sawnwood, coniferous — Production, annual growth rate 9.68 % change on previous year (2024)
- Wood-based panels — Production, annual growth rate -2.38 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -3.47 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is methane (ch4) emissions from waste in United Kingdom?
- Methane (ch4) emissions from waste in United Kingdom was 22.62 Mt CO2e in 2024, according to EDGAR (Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research) Community GHG Database, Joint Research Centre (JRC) - European Commission.
- What is the highest methane (ch4) emissions from waste recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 74.64 Mt CO2e in 1996.
- What is the lowest methane (ch4) emissions from waste recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 22.62 Mt CO2e in 2024.
- How does United Kingdom rank for methane (ch4) emissions from waste?
- United Kingdom ranks 14th out of 203 countries with data for 2024.
- Is methane (ch4) emissions from waste rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is down 31.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from EDGAR (Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research) Community GHG Database, Joint Research Centre (JRC) - European Commission, published as part of Methane (CH4) emissions from Waste (Mt CO2e). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 55 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
A measure of annual emissions of methane (CH4), one of the six Kyoto greenhouse gases (GHG), from the waste sector. This includes emissions from solid waste (IPCC 2006 codes 4.A Solid Waste Disposal, 4.B Biological Treatment of Solid Waste, 4.C Incineration and Open Burning of Waste) and wastewater treatment (IPCC 2006 code 4.D Wastewater Treatment and Discharge). The measure is standardized to carbon dioxide equivalent values using the Global Warming Potential (GWP) factors of IPCC's 5th Assessment Report (AR5).