Feature: UK is keen to be green according to the largest ever analysis of consumers’ carbon footprints

Analysis by SEI York and the World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF) has revealed some positive shifts towards a more eco-friendly lifestyle. Data based on more than 300,000 responses to WWF’s carbon footprint calculator found an average 17% reduction in overall carbon footprint, as well as a 25% increase in people adopting plant-based diets over the analysis period ^[2].

The analysis, taken from 15 months of data between February 2019 and October 2020, showed the positive impact of lifestyle changes at home, with using renewable energy an important factor in people cutting their carbon footprints. The new data shows a near doubling of respondents on 100% renewable energy tariffs (from 12% to 21%) over the time frame. Home emissions, such as from heating and lighting, make up 22% of the average total footprint, meaning that a switch to a 100% renewable energy tariff could save an individual an average of 2.9 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e) a year. As the average carbon footprint of respondents to the calculator is 13.7 tonnes a year, that represents a significant saving.

Travel is the largest contributor to the average footprint, making up 30%. The impact of COVID-19 has undoubtedly played a large part in footprint reductions, mainly due to the decrease in flights over part of the period analysed. However, average footprints decreased across all areas of lifestyle, which indicates an appetite for more sustainable living.

Switching to lower-carbon transport – including cycling, public transport, and electric cars – helps reduce the travel footprint. Yet even before COVID-19, more than 60% of respondents did not travel by public transport (bus or train), and trends show use of public transport going down. As the UK emerges from the pandemic, this trend must be reversed, with investment in more sustainable public transport to help meet UK targets for emissions reductions.

Learn more on the SEI website.