COAL CUTS TAKE U.S. TO WORLD LEADING EMISSIONS CUTS

America Leading the World in CO2 Emission Decrease Thanks to Reductions in Coal Use; Grassroots Fight to Move “Beyond Coal” Having Clear Effect

June 18, 2012 (Sierra Club)

“Since 2006, the U.S. has seen the largest reduction in carbon dioxide emissions of any country or region…[A]ccording to a recent report from the International Energy Agency (IEA)…U.S. CO2 emissions have fallen by 7.7 percent or 430 million metric tons primarily due to a decrease in coal use. This decrease in carbon emissions is equal to eliminating the annual greenhouse gas emissions from more than 84 million passenger vehicles or more than 53 million homes.”

click to enlarge

“While America has long been criticized by the international community for not taking a leadership role in reducing carbon emissions, it’s clear now that the work being done to move the country beyond coal is having a significant effect. Coal was responsible for 33 percent of U.S. electricity [in May 2012], down from 50 percent just 10 years ago…CO2 emissions from the average American are now at the same levels that they were in 1964…[T]hese reductions put America on track to meet and even exceed the goal President Obama set in the Copenhagen Accord of decreasing U.S. CO2 emissions by 17 percent by 2020…”

Tweet