Social challenge/ impact linked to:

Level of importance

1 - High Importance / must have

Description

Man-made climate change is driven by greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The ‘million tonnes’ of carbon dioxide equivalent (MtC02e) is one of the best composite measures of greenhouse gas emissions as this includes a range of greenhouse gases. The SRC’s proposed planetary boundary was considered as an indicator, but it is based on a measure of CO2 alone and so, for comparability, we have chosen to use MtCO2. Carbon has by far the largest and most important impact on climate change, so it is considered a suitable indicator for use here.  

There are two methods for measuring our consumption of CO2. Emissions can be measured on either a territorial or a consumption (footprint) basis. Territorial emissions are those relating only to the CO2 produced within the UK; annual UK data on CO2 produced in the UK (territorial emissions) are updated in March each year.

Consumptive emissions take a broader approach and include estimates of CO2 embedded in our imports of goods and services. There are difficulties in accurately estimating consumptive emissions and it should be noted that results tend to be more dated than territorial data, due to a more complex methodology. However, in order to compare the UK’s impact upon the planetary boundary, it is vital that consumptive emissions are used and we have opted for this as an indicator.  

Scale as linked to D2.2 framework

• City

Data source and input type

• DEFRA 

Connection with SDGs

• Goal 13: Climate action

Required Data

• Consumption of Co2 (MtCO2)
• Greenhouse gas emission

Expected Outputs

• Percentage  exceedance

Calculation methods

• •caluation of exceedance based on the SRC boundary 
• The  planetary  boundary  proposed  by  the  SRC  is  two  tonnes  CO2/year/capita  on  a  consumptive basis.
• UK’s boundary  =  127.4  MtCO2/year  (based  on  2tCO2/year/capita  x  63.7  million  population)
• Actual  emissions  =  650  MtCO2/year  (2011)160
• Exceedance  =  522.6  MtCO2/year
• Percentage  exceedance:  522.6/127.4*100  =  410  percent.

Level of expertise required

• high 

Links and references

• https://policy-practice.oxfam.org/resources/the-uk-doughnut-a-framework-for-environmental-sustainability-and-social-justice-344550/
• Department of Energy  and Climate Change  (DECC)   (2014)  ‘Annual  Statement of Emissions  for  2012’,  London: DECC, https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/296152/38238_Un_Act_DECC_web_ accessible_v2.pdf
• DEFRA  (2012)  ‘Statistical  release: UK’s  Carbon  Footprint 1997–2011’  London:  DEFRA.  https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/uks-carbon-footprint