Emissions Responsibility Accounting: A new look at emissions accounting

Authors: Lisa Winkler, Dr Joeri Rogelj, Alyssa Gilbert 

Tackling climate change requires urgent action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. To understand the scale of the task at hand, and measure progress, emissions must first be accounted for, and reported on accordingly. Emissions accounting is often defined by country borders, where governments have jurisdiction over the sources of greenhouse gas emissions. However, this approach does not address the full contribution of a country’s economic activity to worldwide greenhouse gas emissions. 

This report provides a novel outlook on UK emissions accounting, providing a visual representation of the emissions the UK is involved in, highlighting areas for further research and suggesting emission reduction actions for industry and policy.