Oregon's CO2 drop lags U.S. average
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Oregon's energy-related CO2 emissions per capita fell 20% from 2005 to 2023, per new U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) data.
- That's below the U.S. average of 30%.
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.
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: Oregon has set aggressive targets — close to net-zero emissions by 2050 — for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the main driver of climate change. The state recently reinstated a policy capping emissions and enforcing penalties for violators.
- Broken down by sector, transportation and commercial utilities emit the largest share of carbon.
- The state has also set a goal of generating 100% of its power from renewables by 2040.
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.