Jersey minister calls for switch away from fossil fuel vehicles as emissions rise

Jersey's Climate Change Minister Hilary Jeune wants more support for drivers to switch away from vehicles powered by fossil fuels.

New figures show the average person produced 3.5 tonnes of greenhouse gases in 2021, around the same weight as two cars.

That is a rise from the previous year but overall, emissions have dropped by nearly half since 1990.

Transport remains the biggest polluter, making up 41% of the final figure - with residential emissions forming 25% and the business sector creating 15%.

Deputy Jeune explained: "We clearly have continuing work to do in this area to support islanders with the switch away from fossil fuel vehicles."

She hopes government schemes such as subsidising e-bikes will encourage people to take up greener transport options.

Figures are always released two years retrospectively due to the data's complexity.

Deputy Jeune added: "We’ll need to wait until next year’s inventory to get a true understanding of where we’re at post the peak of the Covid pandemic.

"What’s particularly pleasing is that despite the increase in home working, residential emissions continued to fall."

Jersey is aiming to become carbon neutral by 2050.

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