2007 Emissions of Greenhouse Gases in the United States
In 2007 the emission from greenhouse gas (GHG) were 7,282 million metric tons carbon dioxide equivalent (MMTCO2e) in the United States. This represents a 1.4 percent increase in the levels recorded in 2006, according to a report issued by the Energy Information Administration titled “Emissions of Greenhouse Gases in the United States 2007″. Historically, since 1990 the GHG emissions have increased in the United States at an average rate of 0.9 percent annually.
The U.S. GHG intensity or U.S. GHG emissions per unit of gross domestic product (GDP), dropped from 636 metric tons per million 2000 constant dollars of GDP (MMTCO2e/million dollars GDP) in 2006 to 632 MMTCO2e /million dollars GDP in 2007. These figures represent a 0.6 percent decline. The GHG intensity has declined on an average of 1.9 percent annually since 1990…
In 2007 the U.S. GHG emissions were estimated at 6,022 million metric tons of carbon dioxide which is 82.6 percent of the total emissions and 700 MMTCO2e of methane which accounts for 9.6 percent total emissions. 384 MMTCO2e of nitrous oxide accounted for 5.3 percent of total emissions and 177 MMTCO2e of perfluorocarbons (PFCs),hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), and sulfurhexafluoride (SF6) accounted for the remaining 2.4 percent of total emissions.
The carbon dioxide emissions produced from industrial processes and energy consumption has risen at an average rate of 1.1 percent annually each year between 1990 and 2006. In 2007 the increase was 1.3 percent due to unfavorable weather patterns in which both cooling and heating degree days were higher in 2007 than they were in 2006. Additionally, a surge in the carbon intensity of generated electricity, which was driven by the decline of hydropower availability, contributedto increased energy-related carbon dioxide emissions during 2007. A 1.9 percent increase was reported for methane emission and nitrous oxide emission increased by 2.2 percent. Emissions of SF6, PFCs and HFCs, the group known collectively as “high-GWP gases”, rose by 3.3 percent. This group of gases earns the reference “high-GWP gases” due to their capability to trap heat.
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