What are Birmingham’s Carbon Emissions

A carbon footprint is the total greenhouse gas emissions which an individual, organization, or community has produced. The UK government has reported Birmingham’s emissions since 2005 showing a decrease from 6,955 kTonnes to 4,480 kTonnes in 2021, a reduction of 37%. The following graph shows the trend of these emissions by sector:

Whilst the decrease in emissions is encouraging, there is still a long way to go. To put the challenge into perspective, Birmingham’s 2021 emission are still roughly equal to the emissions created by the countries of Iceland or Namibia. In order to meet targets to stay within safe levels of global warming, the city needs to meet emissions reductions of roughly 10% per year.

Looking at the details of these carbon footprints for an individual year, we can identify which activities contribute the most emissions. In 2021, 58% of emissions came from transport and domestic use alone, highlighting the need for real action to address how we move goods and people as well heat our homes and consume goods.

To view more localised emissions estimates for the different council wards of Birmingham, you can use the Impact Tool developed by the UK Government and the University of Exeter. Their tool can present you with a more detailed breakdown of emissions in your area and provide a good idea of what activities are having the biggest impact.

To check your own carbon footprint and identify ways to reduce your own emissions we would recommend using a calculator such as Giki Carbon Calculator.

Page last updated: 2 November 2023