Energy-related CO2 emissions are falling in every state
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Energy-related CO2 emissions per capita fell in every U.S. state from 2005 to 2023, per federal data.
- That was largely because we burned less coal and more natural gas (which emits less CO2 comparatively), but wind and solar also played their part.
Why it matters: The numbers indicate some success in reducing emissions to curb climate change, but the Trump administration's pro-coal, anti-wind-and-solar attitude could jeopardize that progress as it gets harder to start new clean energy projects.
Driving the news: Energy-related emissions per capita fell 30% nationwide in the time frame, according to U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) figures.
- Raw emissions fell 20%, while the population grew by 14%.
Between the lines: The nationwide emissions decline was primarily a result of less coal being burned to generate electricity.
- An uptick in natural gas use, plus clean wind and solar energy, "offset the decrease in coal generation," per the EIA.
Zoom in: Maryland (-49%); Washington, D.C. (-48%) and Georgia (-45%) saw the biggest decreases in energy-related emissions per capita.
- Coal went from 56% of Maryland's electricity generation in 2005 to 5% in 2023, the EIA says, while natural gas grew from 4% to 41%.
- "During the same period, new solar and wind generation came online, and the combined generation mix shift resulted in a 74% reduction in Maryland's total electric power sector CO2 emissions."
Yes, but: The needle barely moved in a handful of states, including Mississippi (-1%), Idaho (-3%) and South Dakota (-4%).
How it works: The agency's state-by-state data reflects where power plants are located (even if their energy is sent to other states) and where transportation fuels are sold (even if vehicles burn those fuels to cross state lines).
What's next: EIA is predicting a 1% uptick in overall CO2 emissions this year, in part due to a surge in demand for power from data centers and heavy industry.
