A new report says climate-altering pollution from greenhouse gases declined by nearly 2% in the United States in 2023, even as the economy expanded at a faster clip. The report from the Rhodium Group said the decline is a step in the right direction but far below the rate needed to meet President Joe Biden’s pledge to cut U.S. emissions in half by 2030. Last year’s relatively mild winter and continued declines in power generation from coal-fired plants drove down emissions in the U.S. power and buildings sectors. At the same time, transportation sector emissions rose, led by a continued rebound in airplane travel and increased gasoline consumption. Higher domestic oil and gas production also led to a small increase in industrial emissions.
