Record-setting decline in U.S. Carbon Dioxide Emissions: U.S. Energy Information Adminstration Report

At 7 percent or 405 million metric tons, the energy-related carbon dioxide emissions in the United States saw their largest percentage and absolute decline since the U.S. Energy Information Adminstration (EIA) began keeping a comprehensive record of annual energy data in 1949.

On May 5, the EIA, which is the independent statistical and analytical agency within the U.S. Department of Energy, released an analysis of the factors affecting this decline. EIA Administrator Richard Newell summarized as follows: "The large decline in emissions was driven by the economic downturn, combined with an ongoing trend toward a less energy-intensive economy and a decrease in the carbon-intensity of the energy supply,"

In addition to a decline in gross domestic product (GDP) in 2009 of 2.4 percent, the energy intensity of the economy (energy consumed per dollar of GDP) declined 2.4 percent and the carbon intensity of the energy supply (carbon dioxide per unit of energy consumed) declined by 2.3 percent. The latter two factors led to a decline in the overall carbon intensity of the economy (carbon dioxide per dollar of GDP) of over 4.5 percent between 2008 and 2009.

The EIA's complete analysis can be found here.

Tagged as: climate change, US - climate change