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U.S. ENERGY INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION
WASHINGTON DC 20585

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DECEMBER 19, 2005

U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions Grow but Intensity Falls in 2004

U.S. greenhouse gas emissions increased by 2.0 percent in 2004, from 6,983.2 million metric tons carbon dioxide equivalent (MMTCO2e) in 2003 to 7,122.1 MMTCO2e in 2004, according to Emissions of Greenhouse Gases in the United States 2004, a report released today by the Energy Information Administration (EIA).  U.S. greenhouse gas emissions per unit of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) fell from 677 metric tons per million 2000 constant dollars of GDP (MTCO2e/$Million GDP) in 2003 to 662 MTCO2e /$Million GDP in 2004, a decline of 2.1 percent. 

The 2004 increase is well below the rate of economic growth of 4.2 percent but above the average annual growth rate of 1.1 percent in greenhouse gas emissions since 1990.  Emissions of carbon dioxide and methane increased by 1.7 and 0.9 percent respectively, while emissions of nitrous oxide and engineered gases rose by 5.5 and 9.6 percent respectively.

  • Emissions of carbon dioxide from energy consumption and industrial processes grew by 1.7 percent from 5,871.8 million metric tons in 2003 to 5,973.0 million metric tons in 2004. Since 1990, carbon dioxide emissions have risen by about 19 percent.
  • Methane emissions rose by 0.9 percent from 633.9 MMTCO2e to 639.5 MMTCO2e. The increase is attributable mainly to greater methane emissions from landfills, while smaller increases from animal waste, rice cultivation, and coal mining also contributed to the total growth.  Since 1990, methane emissions have declined by more than 11 percent.
  • Nitrous oxide emissions increased from 335.2 MMTCO2e in 2003 to 353.7 MMTCO2e in 2004 (5.5 percent) mainly because of increases in emissions from agricultural sources, which rose by 17.4 MMTCO2e, comprising 94 percent of the total increase.  Nitrous oxide emissions are above 1990 levels for the first time since 2001.
  • Emissions from three classes of engineered gases – hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) – increased by  9.6 percent from 142.4 MMTCO2e in 2003 to 155.9 MMTCO2e in 2004.  As a group, these gases have grown by 77 percent since 1990, but from very small initial levels.
  • In 1990, land use change and forestry practices sequestered enough carbon dioxide to offset 16.9 percent of U.S. anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions.  In 2003 (the last year of available data) that offset declined to 11.9 percent.

 The full report can be found on EIA's web site at:

 http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/1605/ggrpt/index.html

 

The report described in this press release was prepared by the Energy Information Administration, the independent statistical and analytical agency within the U.S. Department of Energy. The information contained in the report and the press release should be attributed to the Energy Information Administration and should not be construed as advocating or reflecting any policy position of the Department of Energy or any other organization .

EIA Program Contacts: Perry Lindstrom, 202/586-0934; Paul McArdle, 202/586-4445

EIA Press Contact: National Energy Information Center, 202/586-8800                                         

EIA-2005-13

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