Consumption-based emissions by London boroughs have declined on average over the last two decades but there is still much more work to do in order to reach emission targets, warns a new report by London Councils and ReLondon.

Consumption-based emissions are the amount of carbon emissions attributed to a place based on the goods and services used in that area by residents and businesses.

The report, commissioned by London Councils and ReLondon, and carried out by the University of Leeds, showed that consumption-based emissions at a borough-level across London decreased from 101 Mtonnes CO2e in 2001 to 74 Mtonnes CO2e in 2018. This is a reduction of 27 per cent.

The report shows that every London borough saw a reduction in their consumption-based emissions even though London’s population has increased significantly. The data also reveals that the difference between the highest and lowest consuming borough has reduced markedly.

While this reduction of consumption-based emissions since 2001 is hugely welcomed, the pace of reduction is not fast enough to meet the target of reducing consumption emissions by two thirds by 2030. This target, focusing on food, clothing, electronics and aviation, is set by the One World Living – Reducing Consumption-based Emissions programme and led by London Borough of Harrow on behalf of London Councils, and was established in a 2019 Joint Statement on Climate Change.

In every borough, the largest impact is transport, due to a combination of petrol and diesel cars, non-renewably powered public transport and aviation emissions. The second largest impact is buildings and their associated power usage. Food and drink are the third largest impacts, with other categories being much lower. Overall, higher consumption emissions are emitted by wealthier boroughs.

The data will be discussed in an online event as part of the fourth annual circular economy week.