- Energy Snapshot
This Chart Shows How U.S. Carbon Emissions Are Rising—Again
Economic growth helped drive up U.S. energy-related carbon emissions in 2014, for the second consecutive year. Will this continue?
U.S. emissions of heat-trapping carbon dioxide are rising again, posing a potential challenge to President Barack Obama’s climate pledge.
In 2014, energy-related carbon emissions increased for the second consecutive year, although by a smaller amount than in 2013, according to a report Monday by the U.S. Energy Information Administration or EIA.
The uptick, after a few years of decline, suggests the United States could have a difficult time meeting its emissions target. Last month, ahead of historic climate talks in Paris, Obama pledged to reduce total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 26 to 28 percent, from 2005 levels, by 2025. The bulk (80 percent) of that total is energy-related carbon emissions, the remainder coming from other gases such as methane.
The
