Executive Summary

The main findings and updates for the latest Carbon Account for Transport are:

In 2011 total Scottish emissions from all sectors amounted to 51.3 mega-tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (MtCO₂e). Transport's share of this Scottish total is 13.0 MtCO₂e - including emissions from international aviation and shipping. Transport thus accounts for just over one quarter of Scotland's total emissions.
Transport emissions have fallen for four years running and over this period have reduced by 1.7 MtCO₂e.
Road transport emissions account for 71.5% of all transport emissions and cars account for over half of this total. Emissions from cars account for 40% of all transport emissions.
Maritime emissions account for 14% of all transport emissions.
Aviation emissions account for 13% of all transport emissions.
With the overall picture for transport emissions over the period 1990-2011:
Emissions from cars are lower than in 1990.
Emissions from aviation, and particularly international aviation, have risen.
The rise in emissions from good vehicles is almost exclusively a result of a significant increase in emissions from Light Good Vehicles before 2007.