World 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 | World GHG emissions |
|---|---|
| “Dirty” electric power plants (EPA: electricity category includes electricity for heating) |
34% |
| Industrial processes (EPA: industry + oil industry from extraction to distribution) |
24% |
| Fuels for transports (EPA: same classification) |
15% |
| Residential and commercial (EPA: same classification) |
6% |
| Agriculture (EPA: category combines agriculture and “land use”, i.e., forests replaced by agriculture) |
22% |
| TOTAL OF HUMAN ACTIVITY | 100% |
| CO2 removed by ecosystems (i.e., forest and other plants) isn’t included, although it mitigates numbers above. This number could go higher by reversing logging and desertification. (EPA estimates its share at 5% (i.e., a fifth of agriculture’s 24%)) |
-5% |
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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