U.S. greenhouse gas emissions fell nearly 2 percent last year while the economy grew at about the same rate, according to a new analysis.
Research firm Rhodium Group found that U.S. emissions fell 1.9 percent compared to 2022 and were 17.2 percent lower than in 2005.
At the same time, the American economy grew by 2.4 percent in 2023.
Rhodium Group noted that this is the first time since the coronavirus pandemic that the U.S. has seen both economic growth and a decline in emissions.
The analysis attributed the decline in emissions to a mild winter – i.e. lower energy consumption for heating – and to less electricity from coal-fired power.
Energy sector emissions fell 8 percent, while residential and commercial emissions fell 4 percent.
In fact, emissions from transport rose 1.6 percent, although fuel consumption was still lower than before the pandemic.
The report also found that the country still has a long way to go if it wants to meet President Biden's goal of at least halving emissions by the end of the decade.
“A decline in economy-wide emissions is a step in the right direction, but this rate of decline must more than triple each year from 2024 to 2030 and remain at that level to meet the U.S. climate goal,” it said.
Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Comments are closed.