USA CO2 emissions fall dramatically in 2010

[BethesdaWX]

Despite my skeptical attitude towards "mass AGW", I'm still aboard the "reduce emssions train".

The recession may have alot to do with this, but its good news nonetheless... Gettin the world off our backs!

China continues to emit large amounts,and has now surpassed us.

http://www.eia.gov/e...3%282009%29.pdf

[Clifford]

A recession as well as significantly increasing fuel prices certainly has an impact on consumption. I wonder if the Cask for Klunkers and other similar programs had an impact too.

Does exporting our industry to China... then buying Chinese goods count?

[superjames1992]

Good news, although I think it may be more of a reflection of high gas prices and the slumping economy than anything else.

According to that graph, coal use appears to have dropped off. Is that a reflection of people using more energy-efficient appliances/lights/ect. or is it due to something else?

[skierinvermont]

Good news, although I think it may be more of a reflection of high gas prices and the slumping economy than anything else.

According to that graph, coal use appears to have dropped off. Is that a reflection of people using more energy-efficient appliances/lights/ect. or is it due to something else?

The graph is of Industrial sector coal use only. By far the largest use of coal is in the energy sector which has generally been using more and more coal, although there has been a decline in the most recent years due to the recession after peaking in 2007.

The industrial sector is using less coal mostly just because the entire industrial manufacturing sector has shrunk and been replaced by computer and technology manufacturing which is less energy intensive and seems more likely to use oil, natural gas or electricity instead of coal.

So apart from the recent recession, unfortunately coal is becoming even more widely used in the U.S.