Plan B? The prospects for personal carbon trading

Article

This report examines the cases for and against personal carbon trading as a policy to help reduce personal carbon emissions in the UK, and sets out the conditions under which this approach might become a realistic proposition.

To avoid dangerous climate change, deep cuts in carbon emissions will be needed. These cuts will have to be made in all parts of the economy, including in emissions produced directly by individuals. Just over 40 per cent of UK carbon emissions result from the behaviour of individuals, from heating and powering our homes and making personal journeys by car and plane. However, there is currently no sign of any decline in emissions from residential energy use, car use or aviation.

This report examines the cases for and against personal carbon trading as a policy to help reduce personal carbon emissions in the UK, and sets out the conditions under which this approach might become a realistic proposition.

Related items

  1. A photograph of part of the Plymouth coastline on a bright sunny day. A row of large white hotels beneath a blue sky.

    Community cohesion and asylum accommodation: Understanding local perspectives

    Exploring why asylum hotels have generated different responses across the country, and what conditions support cohesion within communities.

  2. Must try harder: do the Holyrood 2026 manifestos meet our tests?

  3. An energy smart meter sits on a countertop. It reads electricity: £61.71, gas: £148

    Flex factor: How government can keep network costs on bills down

    Government must strike a better balance between bringing down energy bills now and building a system fit for the future.