Jan 13, 2026 - Energy & Climate
U.S. emissions rise could preview bigger spikes
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U.S. greenhouse gas emissions rose 2.4% last year after two years of declines, per new estimates from the Rhodium Group.
State of play: Emissions from fuel use in buildings rose 6.8% as colder winter temperatures drove space heating demand.
- Elsewhere, "higher natural gas prices and growing power demand boosted coal electricity generation, resulting in a 3.8% rise in power sector emissions," Rhodium found.
The big picture: Overall U.S. emissions remain 6% below pre-pandemic levels and 18% lower than in 2005.
What we're watching: This year's levels were "not meaningfully impacted" by Trump administration and congressional policies, such as ending consumer tax credits for electric cars.
- "[B]ut we project that those policy changes could have increasing effects in the years to come," it states.
