US GHG emissions
In Short
Organizations such as the EPA, the EIA and the IEA publish statistics on energy consumption and GHG emissions.
A Few Details
| Category of GHG emitter | US GHG emissions |
|---|---|
| “Dirty” electric power plants (EPA: same classification) |
25% |
| Industrial processes (EPA: same classification) |
23% |
| Fuels for transports (EPA: same classification) |
28% |
| Residential and commercial buildings (EPA: same classification) |
13% |
| Agriculture (EPA: same classification) |
10% |
| TOTAL OF HUMAN ACTIVITY | 100% |
| CO2 removed by ecosystems (i.e., forest and other plants) isn’t included. It does mitigate numbers above, but it shouldn’t deviate countries benefiting from large ecosystems (e.g., Amazon rainforest) to go for a carbon-free economy. (EPA estimates the US “net sink” at 11%) |
-11% |
These figures are based on data from the EPA’s 2019 report and are expected to remain relatively consistent in the coming years. However, it’s important to note that different institutions may categorize sources differently.
It is crucial to be mindful of misinformation: Electricity is frequently misconstrued as synonymous with energy, but it represents only a portion of our total energy consumption. As a result, a 4% reduction in emissions from electricity generation may lead to only a modest 1% decrease in overall greenhouse gas emissions.
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