EPA reports 0.6% rise in US greenhouse gas emissions
28 April 2005 22:45 [Source: ICIS news]
WASHINGTON (CNI)--An inventory of US greenhouse gas emissions submitted to the United Nations shows that overall emissions increased by 0.6% from 2002 to 2003, though emission levels in 2003 still remained below 2000 levels.
The increase was due primarily to moderate economic growth in 2003, which increased demand for electricity and fossil fuels, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said in a report to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
EPA noted that the price of natural gas escalated dramatically in 2003, causing some electric power producers to switch to coal, which has a higher carbon intensity than other fuels used to produce electricity. Colder winter conditions brought more demand for heating fuels, primarily in the residential sector.
Overall, emissions have grown by 13% from 1990 to 2003, while the
Total emissions of the six main greenhouse gases were 6.9bn tons of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2003. These gases include carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and sulfur hexafluoride.
Fossil fuel combustion was the largest source of emissions, accounting for 80% of the total, according to the report.
EPA prepares the inventory report annually, in collaboration with experts from a dozen other federal agencies, and is considered one of the most comprehensive analyses of greenhouse gas emissions in the world.
The report is available online at: http://www.epa.gov/globalwarming/publications/emissions.
By: Glenn Hess
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