Monday, April 18, 2011

EPA 2009 Greenhouse Gas Inventory Puts Emissions at 1995 Level But...

The EPA has issued the final 2009 greenhouse gas inventory that showed a 6.1 decline in emissions from 2008 levels.  US emissions in 2009 fell to 1995 levels.  The 2009 decrease followed a decrease in 2008 and another in 2006.

2009 emissions fell for 3 reasons: the economy shrank in the first 6 months of 2009 as the nation nearly plunged into depression; consumers used energy more efficiently; and low or zero carbon fuels displaced coal.

Greenhouse gas pollution in 2010 will likely increase over 2009 levels as the economy grew, reaching 2007 GDP size. Also, US electricity consumption rose 4% in 2010 compared to 2009. 

But total US greenhouse gas emissions in 2010 will not jump up more than 6%.  2010 emissions will almost certainly be well below the 2007 levels.

More renewables, more efficiency, and more gas are all bending downward total US carbon emissions.

2 comments:

  1. Good to know the carbon emission will not be more than 6% in the coming years.

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  2. Linda:

    It is now becoming plausible to think that US emissions will stabilize and even decline over the next decade. Oil usage is declining. Coal at power plants, the single highest carbon emission source, is likely to decline in US. Renewables are increasing rapidly but from a small base. But Chinese and Indian emissions are increasing rapidly. I am not optimistic about stopping carbon concentrations from reaching 450 ppm globally and worry whether we can stop them reaching 500 ppm.

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