We can all give ourselves a (small) pat on the back today as research has shown the the UK's greenhouse gas emissions fell by 0.5% in 2007.
It's a modest figure, and not worth getting complacent about, but I like hearing news like this. To me, it's far easier to keep up the hard work when I know it's having an effect, however small, and in a world where everything's getting bigger all the time, I can't help feeling encouraged that there's a downward trend here at all.
And it's all down to us as individuals, not big businesses according to the report, which showed the biggest decrease in C02 emissions had taken place in the residential sector, with a fall of 4% on 2005 levels, along with a decrease of 1.6% in the business sector. Tellingly, other sectors increased, including energy supply (up by 1.5%) and transport (up by 1.3%). So, I'd say that warrants a big pat on the back to UK citizens who've been doing their bit to recycle, switch off appliances, change their energy suppliers and generally make the effort, and a warning to businesses to pull their socks up.
The environment secretary, Hilary Benn, said that while the downward trend was positive, a much bigger change was needed. "The UK is on track to meet and go well beyond its Kyoto commitments, but as a country we must do much more across the board. We have to make a real change to every aspect of our lives and our economy. The government is taking steps to make that happen.
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