U.S. greenhouse gas emissions declined in 2008, EIA says

Dec 7, 2009 - Public Power Weekly

Total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in 2008 were 2.2% below the 2007 total, led by a 2.9% decline in energy-related emissions, the Energy Information Administration said in a Dec. 3 report, Emissions of Greenhouse Gases in the United States 2008. Electric power emissions decreased by 2.1% from 2007 to 2008, largely due to the economy, the agency said. Total carbon dioxide emissions fell by 3% (177.8 million metric tons) from 2007 to 2008. The decrease—the largest over the 18-year period beginning with the 1990 baseline—put 2008 emissions 47.1 million metric tons below the 2000 level, EIA said.

The decrease in CO2 emissions in 2008 resulted primarily from three factors, EIA said: higher energy prices—especially during the summer driving season—that led to a drop in petroleum consumption; economic contraction in three out of four quarters of the year that resulted in lower energy demand for the year as a whole in all sectors except the commercial sector; and lower demand for electricity along with lower carbon intensity of electricity supply.

Link to report: ftp://ftp.eia.doe.gov/pub/oiaf/1605/cdrom/pdf/ggrpt/057308.pdf