The UK has joined more than 140 other countries in Paris, to secure a new international agreement to tackle climate change.

Climate change is something that is being felt across the world.

The threat to the UK includes; flood risks – particularly flooding from heavy downpours – stresses on water resources, threats to biodiversity and natural habitats, and the repercussions from climate change impacts abroad.

The Sustainable Innovation Forum 2015 – which works to advance the green economy and international sustainable development – is also due to take place in Paris during the run of the summit on December 7 and 8.

Three quarters of people considered the environment as important to well-being¹

Nearly three-quarters (73%) of respondents to the public debate on measuring national well-being mentioned the environment as being important to both personal and national well-being. The only factors mentioned more were health, family and friends, and job security. Therefore, it was important that environmental indicators such as pollution and engagement with the natural environment were measured as part of the National Well-Being programme.

Two-thirds of people are concerned about climate change

The Department of Energy and Climate Change’s Public Attitudes Tracker (August 2015) indicates that climate change is an issue that people are concerned about, and they feel is as a result of human activity.

Two-thirds (66%) of respondents were either very or fairly concerned about current climate change, with only 8% of people stating they had no concerns. Additionally 81% of respondents felt that climate change was partly, mainly or entirely caused by human activity.

Having green space close to home is important to people

Greenhouse gases and renewable energy are issues that affect well-being on a global scale, but factors such as having access to green space and visiting the natural environment are also important to personal well-being.

The Monitor of Engagement with the Natural Environment survey (MENE) illustrates that there has been a rise in the frequency with which visits to the natural environment are taken.

The survey, which provides information about how and why people engage with the natural environment, showed that , during the financial year ending 2010, just over half of the population of England (54%) claimed to visit frequently (at least once a week) – rising to almost 6 in 10 in the financial year ending 2015 (59%).

Percentage of people who accessed the natural environment frequently (at least once a week) in the 12 months prior to interview, 2009 to 2015

Download the data

The value placed on the natural environment was also evident from 2014/15 attitudinal data. The majority (94%) agreed that having green spaces close to where they live was important, with just less than half agreeing strongly (47%). Furthermore, nearly 9 in every 10 respondents (89%) agreed that spending time out of doors (including their own garden) was an important part of their life, with 42% agreeing strongly.

Emissions of greenhouse gases fell by more than 8% last year

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are widely believed to contribute to climate change, and are included as a headline indicator on the ‘natural environment’ domain in the national well-being measures.

The UK has both international and domestic targets for reducing GHG emissions. The Kyoto Protocol is an international agreement which commits its parties to setting internationally binding emission reduction targets. The UK’s target was to reduce emissions by 12.5% from 1990 to 2012, which was met, and the purpose of this year’s summit is to set new targets.

The UK’s GHG emissions were provisionally estimated at 518.7 million tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent (MtCO2e) in 2014. This was 8% lower than 2013, and 36% lower than 1990.

Greenhouse gas emissions, 1990 to 2014

Download the data

Energy from renewable sources continues to rise

The UK is committed to targets to obtain an increasing share of its energy from renewable sources. By 2020, 15% of the UK’s energy consumption should be from renewable sources.

Energy consumed from renewable sources is another measure included on the ‘natural environment’ domain of National Well-being measures.
Increases in renewable energy play an important role in driving down emissions of GHGs and support a shift towards a greener and more sustainable economy.

Provisional figures for 2014 indicate 7.0% of final energy consumption came from renewable sources, up from 5.6% in 2013. Although fossil fuels remain the dominant source of energy supply (accounting for 85% of all energy consumed), their contribution to the overall energy mix has reached a record low.

Final energy consumption from renewable sources, 2004 to 2014

Download the data

---

For more information contact: nationalwell-being@ons.gsi.gov.uk