Each country’s peak emissions varies depending on their economy or circumstances, but over the same period, the US has gone from 4366 million tonnes to 5057 million tonnes. US emissions peaked in 2005 at 6132 million tonnes.
French emissions are below the UK at 298 million tonnes, but only down from a peak of 539 million tonnes in 1973 while Germany is emitting 666 million tonnes, down from 1118 in 1979.
In contrast, emissions from emerging economies continue to rise.
China’s emissions are now 11,397 million tonnes compared to 808 in 1970 and 3649 in 2000 while India’s are 2830 compared to 182 in 1970 and 978 in 2000.
The data comes as British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak overhauls the government’s net zero policies designed to help the UK meet its target of cutting its carbon emissions to net zero by 2050.
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Sunak has pushed back the ban on sales of new diesel and petrol cars from 2030 to 2035 and ditched plans for tougher energy efficiency rules for landlords.
The figures had gone under the radar but were spotted by Fraser Nelson, the editor of The Spectator, who said critics of the UK would be focusing on the data if it had gone in the other direction.
“A pretty major milestone has been achieved: Britain has become the first major country to halve its carbon emissions,” he said.
“The rapid pace of UK environmental progress means that our output is now below 319 million tonnes – half the 652 million tonnes at our 1970s peak.
“This is in spite of Britain now having a far larger population and economy than 50 years ago.”
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