Businesses reduced gas emissions in 2006 by 1.6 per cent, according to a Defra report released today, but related sectors such as transport, energy and aviation saw their emissions climb prompting environmentalists to again criticise the government's climate change record.

Overall, UK greenhouse gas emissions in 2006 were estimated to be 652.3 tonnes, half a per cent lower than the previous year, with CO2 accounting for the majority of emissions.

The business and residential sectors were amongst the best performers, cutting emissions by 1.6 per cent and four per cent respectively. The cuts continued a solid downward trend for UK plc which has seen emissions fall 16 per cent since 1990, largely as a result of improved efficiency measures.

Matthew Farrow, head of environment at the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), welcomed the drop in business emissions, adding that "it proves that a strong, growing economy can be combined with falling emissions". However, he warned that the UK was still well off course to meet the Government's 2020 target and urged the government and individuals to make global warming a " shared national priority".

A Defra spokesperson said she expected business emissions to drop further in subsequent years due to companies’ individual CSR efforts and the introduction of the tightening up of the EU emissions trading scheme (ETS) this year. New stringent EU targets proposed last week should also ensure businesses increase their efforts to cut emissions this year.

However, while businesses overall performed relatively individual sectors saw emissions continue to climb. Emissions from the energy sector increased in 2006 by 1.5 per cent and while transport emissions climbed 1.3 per cent.

Moreover, the transport sector's increased emissions controversially did not include international flight emissions, which rose by 1.5 per cent in 2006. Dome stic flight emissions dropped by nearly three per cent and were included.

Friends of the Earth said the emissions figures could be six per cent higher if international aviation emissions were included and urged the Government to include them in its Climate Change Bill, currently being debated in Parliament.

"It is plain unfair to expect all the other sectors of the economy to play their part in the fight against climate change while aviation remains outside the law," said Friends of the Earth's climate campaigner, Martyn Williams.

Environment secretary Hilary Benn said EU plans to include aviation in the ETS would mean that growth in aviation emissions would ensure that emissions would have to be reduced elsewhere. "The European Parliament must back the agreement reached by Environment Ministers last December, which will ensure that the aviation industry meets the environmental cost of its emissions," he added.

The government has also pledged that the soon to be formed independent climate change committee will study whether or not to include international aviation and shipping in its climate change bill targets as one of its first tasks of business.