Greenhouse gas emissions from farming have now overtaken the UK's electricity supply for first time, according to new government figures.
The final UK emissions statistics for 1990-2023 reveal that agriculture now accounts for a higher percentage of the UK’s emissions than electricity.
The Department for Net Zero figures [PDF] show that domestic transport is the largest emitting sector in the UK, responsible for over a quarter of all emissions.
Emissions from agriculture and land use have been flat since 2008, with the industry now accounting for 12% of all of the UK's emissions.
Electricity supply delivered the largest reduction, due to higher electricity imports and reduced electricity demand which decreased gas use in UK power stations.
Looking at the data, Tom Lancaster, land analyst at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU), warned that farming "risks becoming one of the biggest emitters in the UK economy".
He said: “These figures confirm what some had already predicted – that the share of greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture has for the first time exceeded electricity supply.
“And yet farming is the sector perhaps most exposed to the risks of climate change. We’ve just seen one of the worst harvests in decades in the UK, as farmers battled through the wettest 18 months on record."
Mr Lancaster warned: "We will only see more terrible harvests and flooded and drought stricken farms in the future if we don’t do more now to move faster towards net zero greenhouse gas emissions.
"In the meantime, farmers will need more support to adapt and build resilience."
