U.S. Lags Behind Industrialized Nations In Controlling Emissions
The United States continues to fall behind its industrialized allies in controlling carbon emissions, according to the 2001 Carbon Scorecard recently released by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy.
The United States continues to fall behind its industrialized allies in controlling carbon emissions, according to the 2001 Carbon Scorecard recently released by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy.
The scorecard is based on a recent European Union report showing that member countries' carbon emissions fell from 1990 to 2000 -- and on newly available data from the Energy Information Administration of the U.S. Department of Energy showing a 14% increase in the U.S. emissions.
"The scorecard dramatizes the immensity of the challenge the United States faces in cutting carbon emissions," said Bill Prindle, policy director of the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. "Even though we have cut the energy and carbon intensity of the economy by 17% since 1990, total emissions have gone up by 14%. This suggests that the Administration's plan to reduce carbon intensity by 18% is unlikely to produce reductions in total carbon emissions."
These numbers highlight the difference between reducing carbon intensity, which the United States has been doing successfully for decades, and reducing total emissions, which is the real goal for reducing the risks of climate change. According to ACEEE, despite the fact that the energy and carbon intensity of the U.S. economy, as measured by energy use and carbon emissions per dollar of GDP, fell 17% in the 1990-2000 period, economic growth more than offset this improvement. The economy expanded by 39% in the same period, producing 14% growth in total energy use and total carbon emissions.
ACEEE says that while the overall U.S. trend shows increasing carbon emissions, 2001 was the first year since 1991 that U.S. carbon emissions actually fell, due to such factors as the economic aftermath of September 11, unprecedented natural gas price increases, the current recession, and relatively mild weather. Without new policies that reduce energy use and carbon emissions, the recovering economy is likely to put U.S. emissions back on their historic growth trajectory.
"To make real progress in reducing carbon emissions, the United States must take stronger steps in the energy policy arena," said Prindle. He said ACEEE offers a number of recommendations:
The scorecard is based on a recent European Union report showing that member countries' carbon emissions fell from 1990 to 2000 -- and on newly available data from the Energy Information Administration of the U.S. Department of Energy showing a 14% increase in the U.S. emissions.
"The scorecard dramatizes the immensity of the challenge the United States faces in cutting carbon emissions," said Bill Prindle, policy director of the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. "Even though we have cut the energy and carbon intensity of the economy by 17% since 1990, total emissions have gone up by 14%. This suggests that the Administration's plan to reduce carbon intensity by 18% is unlikely to produce reductions in total carbon emissions."
These numbers highlight the difference between reducing carbon intensity, which the United States has been doing successfully for decades, and reducing total emissions, which is the real goal for reducing the risks of climate change. According to ACEEE, despite the fact that the energy and carbon intensity of the U.S. economy, as measured by energy use and carbon emissions per dollar of GDP, fell 17% in the 1990-2000 period, economic growth more than offset this improvement. The economy expanded by 39% in the same period, producing 14% growth in total energy use and total carbon emissions.
ACEEE says that while the overall U.S. trend shows increasing carbon emissions, 2001 was the first year since 1991 that U.S. carbon emissions actually fell, due to such factors as the economic aftermath of September 11, unprecedented natural gas price increases, the current recession, and relatively mild weather. Without new policies that reduce energy use and carbon emissions, the recovering economy is likely to put U.S. emissions back on their historic growth trajectory.
"To make real progress in reducing carbon emissions, the United States must take stronger steps in the energy policy arena," said Prindle. He said ACEEE offers a number of recommendations:
- Replacing older power plants with cleaner, high-efficiency combined heat and power (CHP) systems
- Increasing the fuel economy of new cars and trucks through tougher mileage standards
- Improving efficiency in buildings through appliance efficiency standards and building energy codes
- Providing tax and other incentives to accelerate investment in clean, energy-efficient technology
- Increasing funding for energy efficiency research, development, and deployment programs
