2009 US CO2 Emissions to Drop Five Per Cent

Industrial CO2 emissions in the US should drop an unprecedented five per cent in 2009, but will likely rise again in 2010, the US government said on August 11th.  The drop, according to the US EIA (Energy Information Administration), can be attributed to “the economic downturn, combined with natural gas displacing some coal as a source of electricity generation.”

Industrial CO2 Emissions

The EIA is a branch of the US Energy Department, and its publication of data relating to forecast industrial CO2 emissions represents a first.  Even taking the recession into account, however, the US will still produce more emissions per capita (for each person living there) than any other country, and more emissions overall than any other country bar China.

US industry-related CO2 emissions currently make up about 4/5ths of all US greenhouse gas emissions, having leapt over 15 per cent between 1990 and 2008.  Based on economic conditions improving, the EIA sees a 0.7 per cent increase occurring during 2010.

US Industrial Activities

The IEA quantifies the actual amount of CO2 to be released into the atmosphere from US industrial activities during the year at under five-and-a-half million tons, adding that it was closer to six million in 2008.  On this basis, emissions are set to past the five-and-a-half million mark in 2010.

Going a little bit more in-depth, the administration reports that CO2 emissions created as a result of burning coal will likely drop nearly eight per cent in 2009, and put on over one per cent in 2010.  Natural gas-related CO2 emissions, meanwhile, are on course to shed 2.3 per cent this year, and those from petroleum, four per cent, on account of a slump in transportation. 

2009 CO2 Emissions

Here’s a brief run-down of the various types of petroleum it covers, along with the administration’s predictions for 2009 CO2 emissions from them:

• Petrol (for private automobiles, etc) – no significant change expected
• Aviation Fuel – 9.8 per cent drop expected
• Distillates Fuels (including truck diesel) – 8.2 per cent drop expected

In terms of consumption, the report writes that, for coal, a 1.3 per cent rise is on the cards.