Skip to main content
Have a personal or library account? Click to login
Great Britain’s Mixed Progress in Decarbonising Neighbourhoods and the Implications for Net-Zero Cover

Great Britain’s Mixed Progress in Decarbonising Neighbourhoods and the Implications for Net-Zero

By:   
Open Access
|Oct 2026

References

  1. Ahmad, S. (2023). Motivations and Barriers Associated with Adopting Domestic Heat Pumps in the UK. https://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/id/eprint/206856/1/Heat-pumps-report-final.pdf
  2. Balta-Ozkan, N, Yildirim, J, Connor, PM, Truckell, I and Hart, P. (2021). ‘Energy transition at local level: Analyzing the role of peer effects and socio-economic factors on UK solar photovoltaic deployment’. Energy Policy, 148: 112004. DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2020.112004
  3. Bohmann, VS and Küçük, M. (2024). ‘Einkommensstarke Haushalte verursachen mehr Treibhausgasemissionen – vor allem wegen ihres Mobilitätsverhaltens’. Einkommensstarke Haushalte verursachen, 422–428. DOI: 10.18723/diw_wb:2024-27-2
  4. Büchs, M and Mattioli, G. (2021). ‘Trends in air travel inequality in the UK: From the few to the many?’ Travel Behaviour and Society, 25 (August 2020): 92–101. DOI: 10.1016/j.tbs.2021.05.008
  5. Buchs, M and Schnepf, SV. (2013). UK Households’ Carbon Footprint: A Comparison of the Association between Household Characteristics and Emissions from Home Energy, Transport and Other Goods and Services. https://docs.iza.org/dp7204.pdf
  6. Büchs, M and Schnepf, SV. (2013). ‘Who emits most? Associations between socio-economic factors and UK households’ home energy, transport, indirect and total CO2 emissions’. Ecological Economics, 90: 114–123. DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2013.03.007
  7. Cairns, S, Anable, J, Catterton, T, Wilson, E and Morton, C. (2017). MOToring Along: The lives of cars seen through licensing and test data (Number November). https://www.racfoundation.org/research/environment/motoring-along-the-lives-of-cars-seen-through-licensing-and-test-data
  8. Cass, N. (2022). ‘Hyper-aeromobility: the drivers and dynamics of frequent flying’. Consumption and Society, 1(2): 313–335. DOI: 10.1332/LCWC4408
  9. CCC. (2025). Progress in reducing emissions – 2025 report to Parliament. https://www.theccc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Progress-in-reducing-emissions-2025-report-to-Parliament.pdf
  10. Chen, X, Zhen, Y and Chen, Z. (2023). ‘Household Carbon Footprint Characteristics and Driving Factors: A Global Comparison Based on a Dynamic Input–Output Model’. Energies, 16(9): 3884. DOI: 10.3390/en16093884
  11. Clarke, J. (2025, September 10). Cost of living crisis sees household energy debt triple in 10 years. The Independent. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/cost-of-living-crisis-energy-bills-debts-b2823517.html
  12. Climate Change Act 2008, HM Government 1 (2008). https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2008/27/contents
  13. Cohen, DA and Ummel, K. (2019). Follow the Carbon: The Case for Neighborhood-Level Carbon Footprints. https://web.sas.upenn.edu/sociospatialclimate/
  14. DEFRA. (2021). UK’s carbon footprint. https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/uks-carbon-footprint
  15. DEFRA. (2025). Carbon footprint for the UK and England to 2022. https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/uks-carbon-footprint/carbon-footprint-for-the-uk-and-england-to-2022
  16. DESNEZ. (2026). Families to save in biggest home upgrade plan in British history. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/families-to-save-in-biggest-home-upgrade-plan-in-british-history
  17. DESNZ. (2025). Annual Fuel Poverty Statistics report 2025. https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/annual-fuel-poverty-statistics-report-2025
  18. DfT. (2021). Decarbonising Transport. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/610d63ffe90e0706d92fa282/decarbonising-transport-a-better-greener-britain.pdf
  19. DFT. (2024). Vehicle licensing statistics data tables. https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/vehicle-licensing-statistics-data-tables
  20. DfT. (2024, January 3). Pathway for zero emission vehicle transition by 2035 becomes law . https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pathway-for-zero-emission-vehicle-transition-by-2035-becomes-law
  21. Druckman, A and Jackson, T. (2016). ‘Understanding Households as Drivers of Carbon Emissions’. In R. Clift & A. Druckman (Eds.), Taking Stock of Industrial Ecology (pp. 181–204). Springer International Publishing. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-20571-7
  22. Dyson, P and Sutherland, R. (2021). Transport for Humans. London Publishing Partnerships.
  23. Evans, S and Viisainen, V. (2025, January 2). Analysis: UK’s electricity was cleanest ever in 2024. Carbon Brief. https://www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-uks-electricity-was-cleanest-ever-in-2024/
  24. Few, J, Manouseli, D, McKenna, E, Pullinger, M, Zapata-Webborn, E, Elam, S, Shipworth, D and Oreszczyn, T. (2023). ‘The over-prediction of energy use by EPCs in Great Britain: A comparison of EPC-modelled and metered primary energy use intensity’. Energy and Buildings, 288: 113024. DOI: 10.1016/j.enbuild.2023.113024
  25. FOE. (2023). How Britain’s bus services have drastically declined. https://policy.friendsoftheearth.uk/insight/how-britains-bus-services-have-drastically-declined
  26. Francis-Devine, B. (2026). Household debt. https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN02885/SN02885.pdf
  27. Fylan, F, Glew, D, Smith, M, Johnston, D, Brooke-Peat, M, Miles-Shenton, D, Fletcher, M, Aloise-Young, P and Gorse, C. (2016). ‘Reflections on retrofits: Overcoming barriers to energy efficiency among the fuel poor in the United Kingdom’. Energy Research & Social Science, 21: 190–198. DOI: 10.1016/j.erss.2016.08.002
  28. Gao, L, Naylor, P, Hegab, A and Pilidis, P. (2026). ‘Exploring Barriers to Residential Heat Pump Adoption: A UK Case Study of User Behaviour’. Energies, 19(10). DOI: 10.3390/en19102312
  29. Gohlke, SN and Gimbert, Y. (2025). Smoke screen: the growing PHEV emissions scandal Long-range PHEVs and EREVs are a diversion on the road to zero emissions Further information. https://uploads.transportenvironment.org/production/files/Smoke-Screen_The-Growing-PHEV-Emissions-Scandal.pdf?dm=1760604937
  30. Jager, LA de, Claassen, L, Scholz, G, Chappin, EJL and van Bruggen, A. (2025). ‘Household heat pump adoption and user behaviours: a systematic review of drivers and barriers’. In International Journal of Sustainable Energy (Vol. 44, Number 1). Taylor and Francis Ltd. DOI: 10.1080/14786451.2025.2488174
  31. Jones, C and Kammen, DM. (2014a). ‘Spatial Distribution of U.S. Household Carbon Footprints Reveals Suburbanization Undermines Greenhouse Gas Benefits of Urban Population Density’. Environmental Science & Technology, 48(2): 895–902. DOI: 10.1021/es4034364
  32. Jones, C and Kammen, DM. (2014b). ‘Spatial Distribution of U.S. Household Carbon Footprints Reveals Suburbanization Undermines Greenhouse Gas Benefits of Urban Population Density’. Environmental Science & Technology, 48(2): 895–902. DOI: 10.1021/es4034364
  33. Jones, CM, Wheeler, SM and Kammen, DM. (2018). ‘Carbon footprint planning: Quantifying local and state mitigation opportunities for 700 California Cities’. Urban Planning, 3(2): 35–51. DOI: 10.17645/up.v3i2.1218
  34. Kennedy, J, James, K and Hampson, B. (2023). ‘Public Opinion and Understanding of the Impact of Electric Vehicles: A UK Experience’. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 10(10): 248–277. DOI: 10.14738/assrj.1010.15615
  35. Khader, M, Wilson, RE and Tryfonas, T. (2025). ‘Factors influencing the spatial distribution of EV adoption–a case study in England’. Transportation Planning and Technology, 48(4): 674–692. DOI: 10.1080/03081060.2024.2449127
  36. Kondratenko, A, Eddine Hsain, H, Cheng, C-S, Antonio, R, Nisztuk, M, Chavan, T, Weijenberg, C and Patel, V. (2024). Quantifying and Mitigating Neighbourhood Transportation CO2 Emissions Through Data-Driven Urban Design. DOI: 10.52842/conf.caadria.2024.2.435
  37. Lévay, PZ, Goedemé, T and Verbist, G. (2023). ‘Income and expenditure elasticity of household carbon footprints. Some methodological considerations’. Ecological Economics, 212: 107893. DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2023.107893
  38. Liu, T, Shryane, N and Elliot, M. (2023). ‘Micro-macro multilevel analysis of day-to-day lifestyle and carbon emissions in UK multiple occupancy households’. Sustainable Production and Consumption, 39: 13–29. DOI: 10.1016/j.spc.2023.04.023
  39. Lucas, K, Stokes, G, Bastiaanssen, J and Burkinshaw, J. (2019). Inequalities in Mobility and Access in the UK Transport System Future of Mobility: Evidence Review Foresight, Government Office for Science 2 Inequalities in Mobility and Access in the UK Transport System. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/784685/future_of_mobility_access.pdf
  40. Marchant, H and Wentworth, J. (2025). Net zero and the UK’s historic building stock. DOI: 10.58248/HS109
  41. Marzolla, F, Melo, HPM, Bruno, M and Loreto, V. (2026). ‘Proximity-based cities emit less mobility-driven CO2’. Npj Sustainable Mobility and Transport, 3(1): 7. DOI: 10.1038/s44333-025-00074-0
  42. Morgan, M. (2025). ‘Carbon & Place: Data and tools to understand the spatial variation in carbon footprints’. Environment and Planning B: Urban Analytics and City Science. DOI: 10.1177/23998083251401613
  43. Morgan, M, Morton, C, Monsuur, F, Lovelace, R and Heinen, E. (2022). Understanding Change in Car Use over Time (UnCCUT): End of Project Report. https://decarbon8.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/59/2023/01/Understanding-Change-in-Car-Use-over-Time-Morgan-et-al-2022.pdf
  44. Morgan, M, Wadud, Z and Cairns, S. (2025). ‘Can rail reduce British aviation emissions?’ Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, 138: 104513. DOI: 10.1016/j.trd.2024.104513
  45. Mori, L and Ferrante, MR. (2026). ‘Estimating the consumption-based carbon footprint: a small area model as a tool for place-based policies’. Journal of the Royal Statistical Society. Series C: Applied Statistics, 75(1): 202–224. DOI: 10.1093/jrsssc/qlaf041
  46. ONS. (2018). About the area classifications. https://www.ons.gov.uk/methodology/geography/geographicalproducts/areaclassifications/2011areaclassifications/abouttheareaclassifications
  47. ONS. (2024). Living Costs and Food Survey. DOI: 10.5255/UKDA-Series-2000028
  48. Smith, O and Sharmina, M. (2025). Overcoming barriers to a net-zero housing sector. https://pure.manchester.ac.uk/ws/portalfiles/portal/599117057/Smith_Sharmina_2025_Overcoming_Barriers_to_a_Net-Zero_Housing_Sector_-_Policy_Brief.pdf
  49. Tietge, U, Mock, P, Franco, V and Zacharof, N. (2017). ‘From laboratory to road: Modeling the divergence between official and real-world fuel consumption and CO2 emission values in the German passenger car market for the years 2001–2014’. Energy Policy, 103: 212–222. DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2017.01.021
  50. Wood, M, Dennett, A, Casey, G and Suel, E. (2026). ‘Car dependence in England and Wales: spatial inequalities and implications for a just transition’. Frontiers in Sustainable Cities, 7. DOI: 10.3389/frsc.2025.1719495
  51. Yiu, J, Pawlak, J, Imani, AF and Sivakumar, A. (2025). ‘Systematic Study of Battery Electric Vehicle Ownership in England’. Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, 2679(2): 1712–1724. DOI: 10.1177/03611981241271595
  52. Yorkshire Energy Systems. (2019). EPCs : A Major Obstical to Heat Pumps and Decarbonisation. https://www.yorkshireenergysystems.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/EPC-Paper-Rev1-PDF.pdf
DOI: https://doi.org/10.66506/ed.37 | Journal eISSN: 3119-4044
Language: English
Page range: 16 - 16
Submitted on: Apr 30, 2026
Accepted on: Jul 23, 2026
Published on: Oct 21, 2026
Published by: European Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (eceee)
In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services

© 2026 Malcolm Morgan, published by European Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (eceee)
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.