Greenhouse gas emissions by the United States

The United States produced 5.4 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in 2018, the second largest in the world after China and among the worst countries by greenhouse gas emissions per person. Because  coal-fired power stations are gradually shutting down, in the 2010s emissions from  electricity generation fell to second place behind transportation, which is now the largest single source.

General
While the Bush administration opted against Kyoto-type policies to reduce emissions, the Obama administration and various state, local, and regional governments attempted to adopt some Kyoto Protocol goals on a local basis. For example, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), founded in 2007, is a state-level emissions capping and trading program by nine northeastern U.S. states.

The US.State Department offered a nation-level perspective in the Fourth US Climate Action Report (USCAR) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, including measures to address climate change.

According to a 2016 study US methane emissions were underestimated by the EPA for at least a decade, by some 30 to 50 percent.

2018 
In February 2018, an explosion and blowout in a natural gas well in Belmont County, Ohio was detected by the Copernicus Sentinel-5P satellite's Tropospheric Monitoring Instrument.  The well was owned by XTO Energy.  About 30 homes were evacuated, and brine and produced water were discharged into streams flowing into the Ohio River.

The blowout lasted 20 days, releasing more than 50,000 tons of methane into the atmosphere. The blowout leaked more methane than is discharged by most European nations in a year from their oil and gas industries.

Carbon emissions by categories 
The largest source of emissions in 2017 was transportation at 29%, followed by electricity generation at 28% and industry at 22%.

Individual action 
Recommended actions individuals can take on climate change include limiting miles flown and driven, and the amount of beef eaten; and registering and voting.

Reporting requirement
Since 2011 the USEPA's Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases rule, requires thousands of companies in the US to monitor and report their greenhouse gas emissions.
A detailed inventory of fossil fuel  emissions is provided by the Project Vulcan.

Strategy and measures to address climate change

Near-term measures

Transportation

As of 2011, 71% of petroleum consumed in the US was used for transportation.

Programs to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector:

 CAFE:

The Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) program requires automobile manufacturers to meet average fuel economy standards for the light-duty vehicles, large passenger vans and SUVs sold in the United States. Fuel economy standards vary according to the size of the vehicle.

SmartWay
Renewable Fuel Standard:

 Under the Energy Policy Act of 2005, United States Environmental Protection Agency is responsible for promulgating regulations to ensure that gasoline sold in the United States contains a specific volume of renewable fuel. This national Renewable Fuel Standard will increase the volume of renewable fuel that is blended into gasoline, starting with calendar year 2006. The standard is intended to double the amount of renewable fuel usage by 2012. As of 2011, 4% of the energy consumed by transportation was supplied by renewable fuels.

FreedomCAR and Fuel Partnership and Vehicle Technologies Program:

 The program works jointly with DOE's hydrogen, fuel cell, and infrastructure R&D efforts and the efforts to develop improved technology for hybrid electric vehicle, which include the hybrid electric components (such as batteries and electric motors).
 The U.S. government uses six "criteria pollutants" as indicators of air quality: ozone, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxides, particulate matter, and lead and does not include carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.

 Clean Cities
Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) Program.
Aircraft Fuel Efficiency:

 Aviation yields GHG emissions that have the potential to influence global climate. In the United States, aviation makes up about 3% of the national GHG inventory and about 12% of transportation emissions. Currently, measuring and tracking fuel efficiency from aircraft operations provide the data for assessing the improvements in aircraft and engine technology, operational procedures, and the airspace transportation system that reduce aviation's contribution to CO 2 emissions. In the near term, new technologies to improve air traffic management will help reduce fuel burn and, thus, emissions. In the long term, new engines and aircraft will feature more efficient components and aircraft aerodynamics, enhanced engine cycles, and reduced weight, thereby improving fuel efficiency.

Biomass and Biorefinery Systems Program

Energy: residential and commercial sectors

 EPA Clean Energy Programs - Energy Star
 Commercial Building Integration and Residential Building Integration (Build America).
 Weatherization Assistance Program
 State Energy Program
As of 2010, buildings in the United States consume roughly 48% of the country's electricity and contribute a similar percentage of GHG.

Energy: industrial sector
 Energy Star for industry
 Industrial Technologies Program (ITP)

Energy: supply

 Wind power in the United States
 Solar power in the United States
 Geothermal power in the United States
 Biofuel in the United States:
 Distributed generation
 EPA Clean Energy Programs - Green Power Partnership
 EPA Clean Energy Programs - Combined Heat and Power Partnership
 Carbon Capture and Storage Research Program
Advanced Energy Systems Program
CO2 Capture
CO2 Storage

Industry: non-CO2 GHGs
 Methane Programs 
Environmental Stewardship —The objective of this initiative is to limit emissions of HFCs, PFCs, and SF6 in three industrial applications: semiconductor production, electric power distribution, and magnesium production.
HFC-23 —To reduce HFC-23 emissions from the manufacture of the ozone-depleting substance HCFC-22

Agriculture
 Environmental Quality Incentives Program
 Conservation Reserve Program
 Conservation Security Program

Forestry
 Healthy Forests Initiative
 Forest Land Enhancement Program

Waste management
 Landfill Methane Outreach Program

 WasteWise to encourage recycling and source reduction.

Cross-sectoral
 Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Under 1605(b):
 Authorized under Section 1605(b) of the Energy Policy Act of 1992, this voluntary program provides a means for utilities, industries, and other entities to establish a public record of their emissions and the results of voluntary measures to reduce, avoid, or sequester GHG emission
 State and Local Climate and Energy Program
 Federal Energy Management Program

Nonfederal policies and measures

State initiatives
California:

 Vehicle Air Pollution (SR 27)- States and implies that California Senate does not have to adhere to cutbacks in emissions standards further allowing stricter emissions standards than the federal government for the state of California. Under this senate resolution the current administration or other federal powers will be opposed by California in any reduction or cutback of the Clean Air Act policies that are currently in place; allowing California to have higher emissions and air quality standards. This policy is because of the threat by the current administration's efforts to reverse environmental policies, in this case vehicle emissions standards. This opposition of federal policy changes is allowed through California's Clean Air Act preemption waiver granted to the state by the EPA on July 8, 2009.  California's waiver applies to vehicles made in 2009 and later. The current standard being followed by the state is a goal of all vehicles reaching an average of 35 miles per gallon. California saw a large decline in vehicle emissions from 2007 to 2013 as well as a rise in emissions following 2013 which can be attributed to different circumstances some of which include increased population, increased employment, increase in overall state GDP meaning more productivity in the state.
 Vehicle Registration: Environmental Rebates (SB 745)- Establishes a rebate for any transportation improvement fee on a vehicle. This Senate Bill allots funds from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund to the Climate Policy Special rebate fund and which are then transferred to the department of motor vehicles to pay for newly registered vehicles or renewed vehicles. According to the policy the cost per vehicle is to be displayed in the registration paperwork.

Regional initiatives
 Western Climate Initiative
 , the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative includes Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is a cap and trade program in which states "sell nearly all emission allowances through auctions and invest proceeds in energy efficiency, renewable energy and other consumer benefit programs".
 Western Governors Association Clean and Diversified Energy Initiative
 Powering the Plains
 Carbon Sequestration Regional Partnerships
 U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement
 National Governors Association (NGA)´s Securing a Clean Energy Future.
 In 2007 NGA announced plans to expand statewide regulations on GHG emissions and clean energy initiatives. Governors Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota and Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas led a  task force along with six other governors to promote renewable energy, conservation, and a reduction in GHG emissions through statewide policies. The US Department of Energy provided $610,000 in support for this initiative.

As chairman of NGA, Governor Tim Pawlenty (R-MN) said that on energy issues, "We have a federal government that doesn't seem to want to move as fast or as bold as many would like." With states creating their own emissions standards, Pawlenty said, there will be a push for the federal government to come up with a nationwide energy policy to address global warming. If enough states act to reduce GHG emissions, it would "become a de facto national policy".

Climate action plans

Lead by example programs
 New Hampshire's Building Energy Conservation Initiative
 New Jersey's Green Power Purchasing Program
 Atlanta's Virginia Highland - 1st Carbon Neutral Zone in the United States

Long-term measures
 Carbon Sequestration Regional Partnerships
 Nuclear:
Generation IV Nuclear Energy Systems Initiative
 Nuclear Hydrogen Initiative
 Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative
 Global Nuclear Energy Partnership
 Clean Automotive Technology
 Hydrogen Technology
 and High-temperature superconductivity

International measures
Paris Agreement

See also

Climate Registry
Coal in the United States
Energy conservation in the United States
Greenhouse gas emissions in Kentucky
List of countries by carbon dioxide emissions
List of U.S. states by carbon dioxide emissions
Politics of global warming
Post–Kyoto Protocol negotiations on greenhouse gas emissions
Regulation of Greenhouse Gases Under the Clean Air Act
Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming
U.S. Climate Change Science Program

Notes

References

External links

 Live carbon emissions from electricity generation in some states
 U.S. Emissions Data (Energy Information Administration).

 
Category:Transportation in the United States
Category:Energy in the United States