July 16, 2001—US carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels rose by 2.7 percent in 2000, according to preliminary estimates released by the US Department of Energy’s Energy Information Administration (EIA). This increase is the highest since 1996, when it was 3.6 percent.
The large growth in energy-related carbon dioxide emissions in 2000 can be attributed to a return to more normal weather, decreased hydroelectric power generation that was replaced by fossil-fuel power generation, and strong economic growth, the report says.
On a sectoral level, preliminary data indicates that carbon dioxide emissions in the residential and commercial sectors increased by 3.2 and 3.9 percent, respectively, as a return to more normal weather in 2000 translated into higher fossil fuel use for heating purposes. Industrial emissions, which showed no growth in 1999, increased by 1.8 percent in 2000—the greatest growth since 1996.
EIA will continue to update its estimates of 2000 carbon dioxide emissions as more complete energy data become available. A full inventory of 2000 emissions of all greenhouse gases will be available in October from EIA using revised energy data and providing a further analysis of trends.
The preliminary estimates are on EIA’s Web site.
