US Greenhouse Gas Emissions Dip Even as Economic Growth Advances
US greenhouse gas emissions and economic activity typically grow in tandem. Now the trend may be reversing.
Emissions rise from a coal fired power plant in Pineville, South Carolina.
Photographer: Luke Sharrett/BloombergUS greenhouse gas emissions and economic activity typically grow in tandem. But there are indications that the two are beginning to diverge, in an optimistic sign for the climate.
For the second year in a row, greenhouse gas emissions declined even as the economy expanded, according to a report by research firm Rhodium Group, with emissions falling by an estimated 0.2%. The divergence — emissions falling as economic activity rises — is a “cause for optimism,” said Ben King, an associate director at Rhodium Group’s energy and climate practice and author of the report.