Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Economic Sector

1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Transportation 1521.42012267999 1474.7714546 1533.76416208 1570.22062396 1624.5456349 1659.11585649 1714.58813188 1740.49518401 1782.6700027 1853.61742775999 1903.74070092 1875.43638622 1916.20430154 1923.65744009 1956.16410704 1965.91586602 1966.341904581 1967.18977856 1863.443299783 1789.02260166999 1795.14854142999 1762.377423323 1743.520088376 1746.765248104 1780.99189058 1789.41320131999 1824.49284538 1841.924004528 1871.607869172 1874.554777024 1625.283475796 1805.471920947 1801.520908929
Electricity Generation 1880.175679651 1874.408851683 1889.635530017 1964.989427695 1989.595913078 2006.048306961 2078.436657977 2143.760122335 2230.087829143 2243.485009235 2350.064438638 2310.779764306 2326.468180206 2357.9677204 2391.13397500699 2457.44715722 2402.371272511 2468.3236678 2415.236378544 2198.658511328 2313.100970174 2210.21518420699 2072.657471583 2090.987727989 2091.043603873 1951.696058549 1859.330637976 1779.357830753 1799.179777529 1650.752461545 1482.168360396 1584.447572912 1577.493447487
Industry 1723.32232051599 1702.866693002 1729.275077694 1701.00002975499 1719.67162523 1741.76586794799 1762.112970515 1765.41271217999 1757.760768545 1703.937152222 1699.09353195599 1631.35399358199 1613.804270986 1593.643666286 1639.829197988 1587.259170193 1624.488722683 1611.628147355 1571.709220815 1415.50493638999 1488.56982432 1488.393280254 1473.15884950299 1533.828318091 1526.87994389699 1506.061400488 1456.232277636 1478.412290793 1541.869214308 1531.79754036099 1435.91076223 1455.79558867 1452.536165637
Agriculture 595.946054315 587.411997223 587.511140474 608.733193037 612.158537688999 618.123911632 625.693882927 610.728829758 621.023100021 614.986760919 607.226572447999 622.405679947 628.402932182999 627.684215457 633.535446477999 634.30323706 638.728891262 654.903372179 643.038956138 639.829853682 647.14231974 641.226365647 624.385259100999 658.485863718999 660.868013748 657.35266314 650.363697821 658.503898907999 683.533938742999 661.035226966999 640.048676085999 645.876462264 633.964508752999
Commercial 447.006292302 454.452721041 449.970155317 443.082240078 446.051459479 444.491719275 451.625772874 442.880099174999 416.338725309 411.817873743 425.633761278 414.052081335 415.310840777 431.720081145 429.132622803 418.863933029 404.901416866999 418.42506357 425.324512365 428.256573988 430.587609504 425.528968397 406.456125406 429.200746854 439.358052479 451.674786147 435.630707027 437.389191342 453.481028816 462.630952229999 436.915126499 443.663062661 463.661568603
Residential 345.597114742999 355.264350438 361.808133412 373.147537632 363.773427651 367.292044541 399.137914666 380.425938134999 346.522958163 366.325388201999 387.642128584 377.790426275 375.113216312 393.678825878 381.913393628 371.189484271999 334.363825679 355.266742602 363.827773198 353.866061154 355.005227399 348.859719349 306.48007232 357.202065785 377.61824479 350.689959957 327.026529269999 329.161535636 376.819522916 384.210676539 358.042212399 369.609905452 391.301657308
Source: Environmental Protection Agency U.S. Greenhouse Gas Inventory Data Explorer.
Notes: Emissions values are presented in million metric tons carbon dioxide equivalent (MMT CO2 eq.) using Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) global warming potential (GWP) values established by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
This graph displays the breakdown of U.S. greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by economic sector. GHG emissions from the transportation sector increased 18.4% from 1990 to 2022 with a significant dip in 2020 likely because of COVID-19 restrictions. This overall growth contrasts with the electricity sector, which was the highest-emitting sector until transportation surpassed it in 2017. Transportation emissions have also increased from 23.4% of total emissions in 1990 to 28.5% in 2022, the largest percentage increase of any sector. Since emissions peaked in 2007, the electricity generation portion decreased 36%, the transportation portion decreased 8.4%, and the industry portion decreased 10%.

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