11/06/2026
Circular Communities Scotland is pleased to respond to new Scottish Government figures, showing that Scotland's carbon footprint increased by 1.6% between 2021-2022.
Scotland's carbon footprint is calculated by estimating the total greenhouse gases associated with the things we buy and their supply chains, including things produced beyond Scotland.
While emissions directly related to activities in Scotland have dropped by nearly 50% since 1998, our carbon footprint has only fallen by 17.5% over the same period.
Greenhouse gas emissions from things we import now make up over half of total emissions. This shows that whilst some progress is being made to tackle emissions in Scotland, the impact our consumption is having is steadily increasing.
Becky Kenton-Lake, Circular Economy Policy Officer for Circular Communities Scotland said:
“The Scottish Government has stated its commitment to transitioning to a circular economy, with sustainable levels of resource use. This data showing our carbon footprint is continuing to grow underlines the urgent need to make this vision a reality.
“This year new circular economy targets are due to be set, and these must drive a reduction in consumption, alongside measures to make it easier to reuse and repair. This will not only mean that Scotland’s carbon footprint falls, but that wealth is retained within communities, natural resources are protected, and new jobs are created.”
We're pleased to be quoted in this Friends of the Earth Scotland press release here: https://tinyurl.com/f6axdpud
Discover more information on Scotland's carbon footprint figures: https://tinyurl.com/24v6k2xe