Recession Drives Down U.S. CO2 Emissions 2.8%

May 21, 2009

Email this story Print this post Add your comments

Energy-related carbon dioxide emissions in the U.S. declined by 2.8 percent in 2008, according to a Energy Information Administration flash estimate. That’s the largest annual drop since the U.S. government began recording the data (total U.S. energy-related CO2 emissions have grown by 15.9 percent since 1990). Total energy demand in 2008 fell by 2.2 percent.

Factors that influenced the emissions decrease included record-high oil prices and a decline in economic activity in the second half of the year. Oil-related emissions declined by 6 percent, accounting for the bulk of overall reduction in energy-related CO2 emissions.

The economy, as measured by Gross Domestic Product, grew by 1.1 percent in 2008, notwithstanding the economic downturn at the end of the year. With energy demand declining by 2.2 percent, energy intensity (energy use per unit of GDP) fell by 3.3 percent in 2008. Carbon dioxide intensity (carbon dioxide emission per unit of GDP) fell by about 3.8 percent.

Specifically, U.S. CO2 emissions from fossil fuels decreased from 5,967 million metric tons of carbon dioxide (MMTCO2) in 2007 to 5,802 MMTCO2 in 2008.

From 1990 to 2008, the carbon dioxide intensity of the economy fell by 29.3 percent or 1.9 percent per year.

Sector Details:

- Emissions from the electric power sector decreased by about 2.1 percent, while power generation decreased by 1.0 percent, indicating an increase in wind-powered generation, according to EIA.

- The commercial sector experienced an emissions increase of 0.5 percent in 2008.

- Transportation-related emissions decreased by 5.2 percent in 2008.

- Industrial carbon dioxide emissions fell by 3.2 percent, continuing a trend of falling industrial sector emissions since 2004.

- Carbon dioxide emissions from the residential sector declined by 1.1 percent in 2008. Heating degree-days rose by 5.6 percent, but cooling degree-days fell by 8.7 percent.

A full inventory of all U.S. greenhouse gas emissions will be issued in late 2009.

click to enlarge

Email this story Print this post Add your comments

Advertisers

Enhance Sustainability. Improve Profitability.

Learn how at the SAP Sustainability Resource Center. >>

Unclear about the EPA's new GHG Rule?

Learn how it could affect your business. >>

EPA mandatory emissions reporting starts Jan 1st

CSA Standards can help your organization get ready for compliance. Find out how. >>

Survey Results: Product Environmental Compliance Best Practices

How to achieve compliance at a significantly lower cost. Download the full report. >>

Join the Discussion

Recent Daily News [ see all ]

11/24/2009
11/23/2009
11/20/2009

Charts [ see all ]

Government Intervention Required to Drive “Green” Technology

62% of Firms Assign Environmental Team for Green Goals

European Paper Industry Cuts CO2 Emissions by 42% since 1990

S. America Takes Most Urgent View of Copenhagen Talks

Jobs

View All Jobs >> Post a Job >>

Comments and Discussions

Jetset1 on Energy-Savings Claims Don’t Add Up for Microsoft’s Windows 7
"This article is wrong. If your PC is less than a few years old,..."

Iain on McD’s in Germany Trades Red for Green In Logo
"Now if only their food was healthy and nutritious."

Phil on Climate Scientists Alleged to Have Manipulated Data
"After reading all the comments it seems obvious, to me, that the individuals populating..."

Marc Hudson on McD’s in Germany Trades Red for Green In Logo
"where will the stone be mined from- under what labor rights conditions? Will the..."

Clyde on Climate Scientists Alleged to Have Manipulated Data
"This just shows all the Global Warming freaks out there are a bunch of criminals cut from..."

Car Rental Singapore on News Corp. Taps Hara for Energy Efficiency, Environmental Management
"Energy reduction is a good thing. We need to save the..."

Meme Mine on WWF, WRI Make Last-Minute Pitches on Climate Change
"To the voting public, what the scientists say is irrelevant anymore for if you read..."

Environmental Leader