UK's CO2 emissions fall 0.5%

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It was expected that the UK's carbon dioxide emissions would be approximately 1.2% higher than 2005.

But figures from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) show a slight fall.

A Defra statement said: "The final 2006 figure of 652.3 million tonnes is around 1% lower than the provisional estimate, and actually represents a decrease from 2005 to 2006 of around 0.5%.

"It was also provisionally estimated that net UK carbon dioxide emissions would be 560.6 million tonnes, representing an increase of 1.25% from the 2005 figure.

"The final 2006 figure of 554.5 million tonnes is also around 1% lower than the provisional estimate, and represents very little change from 2005 to 2006."

However, figures do not include aviation emissions, which between 2005 and 2006 fell domestically by 2.8% but increased internationally by 1.5%.

Under the Kyoto Protocol, agreed in December 1997 but which came into force in 2005, the Government committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 12.5% from 1990 levels between 2008 and 2012.

According to the latest figures, the biggest decrease in CO2 was in the residential sector, falling by 4% on 2005 levels, along with a decrease of 1.6% in the business sector.

Other sectors increased, including energy supply, up 1.5%, and transport, up 1.3%.