Department of Energy Announces Record-Setting 5.8% Decline in Total U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions in 2009

Total U.S. greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions were 6,576 million metric tons carbon dioxide equivalent (MMTCO2e) in 2009, a decrease of 5.8% from the 2008 level, according to Emissions of Greenhouse Gases in the United States 2009, a report recently released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). Since 1990, U.S. GHG emissions have grown at an average annual rate of 0.4%. This is the largest percentage decline in total U.S. GHG emissions since 1990, the starting year for EIA’s data on total GHG emissions.

The economic downturn is primarily responsible, in addition to improvements in both both demand-side efficiency and lower carbon intensity on the supply side.

Total estimated U.S. GHG emissions in 2009 consisted of 5,446.8 million metric tons of carbon dioxide (82.8% of total emissions); 730.9 MMTCO2e of methane (11.1% of total emissions); 219.6 MMTCO2e of nitrous oxide (3.3% of total emissions); and 178.2 MMTCO2e of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) (2.7% of total emissions).

Emissions of energy-related carbon dioxide decreased by 7.1% in 2009, having risen at an average annual rate of 0.8% per year from 1990 to 2008. Methane emissions increased by 0.9%, while nitrous oxide emissions fell by 1.7% in 2009.

Craig DiLouie

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