U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions Continue Moderate Growth

U.S. greenhouse gas emissions increased by 0.7 percent in 2003, from 6,891 million metric tons carbon dioxide equivalent (MMTCO2e) in 2002 to 6,936 MMTCO2e in 2003, according to "Emissions of Greenhouse Gases in the United States 2003", a report released today by the Energy Information Administration (EIA). The 2003 increase is well below the rate of economic growth of 3.0 percent and below the average annual growth rate of 1.0 percent in greenhouse gas emissions since 1990. Emissions of carbon dioxide and methane increased by 0.8 and 0.5 percent respectively, while emissions of nitrous oxide and engineered gases fell by 0.9 and 0.3 percent respectively. * Emissions of carbon dioxide from energy consumption and industrial processes grew by 0.8 percent from 5,825 million metric tons in 2002 to 5,870 million metric tons in 2003. Since 1990, energy-related emissions of carbon dioxide have risen by 16.0 percent. * Methane emissions rose by 0.5 percent from 599 MMTCO2e to 602 MMTCO2e. Small increases in methane emissions from landfills and coal mines more than offset decreases in methane emissions from mobile sources and rice cultivation. Since 1990, methane emissions have declined by 15 percent. * Nitrous oxide emissions decreased from 323 MMTCO2e in […]

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