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America’s energy-related carbon pollution rose 2.5% last year despite President Barack Obama’s efforts to fight climate change, according to new federal data.
The rise in emissions from burning coal, oil, natural gas and other fossil fuels was one of the steepest on record in the last 25 years, according to the Energy Information Administration’s Monthly Energy Review.
The increase in carbon pollution is a setback for Obama, who has been heavily promoting his progress in cutting America’s greenhouse gas emissions.
Obama told 120 world leaders at the United Nations climate summit last month that America had done more under his watch to fight climate change than any other country.
But the EIA figures show that America’s greenhouse gas emissions are now rising again after several years of decline during the recession.
The chill Arctic temperatures of last year’s polar vortex can shoulder much of the blame.
The EIA said the rise in emissions was largely due to home heating because of the cold weather.
The data also showed a 4.8% increase in the use of energy from coal, and a 10% fall in energy from natural gas.
Emissions were still 10% below 2005 levels.
But the latest figures deepen doubts about whether America will meet its existing commitments for a 17% cut in emissions by 2020 without additional actions, or make the cuts required in the coming decades even deeper.
Until last year, America was on track to meeting that goal, with emissions falling by more than 13% from 2005 to 2012. But that has shrunk to just 10% over the last year or so.
Meanwhile, the pressure is on to do more. World leaders have agreed they need to keep global average temperature from rising two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels to prevent the worst consequences of climate change.
America, along with other countries, is expected to pledge further actions on climate change early next year.
