The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) recently reported that CO2 emissions from U.S. transportation dropped 5.2% in 2008, the largest annual decline since 1990. EIA noted that motor gasoline accounted for 58.7% of the transportation-related CO2 emissions followed by diesel fuel, which accounted for 23.2% of transportation emissions.
Emissions from Petroleum Fell by 6 Percent in 2008
According to the report, transportation-related CO2 emissions overtook industrial emissions as the largest source of energy-related CO2 in 1999. Since 1990, industrial emissions have declined 0.3% per year while transportation emissions have grown 1.1% per year. By mid-year 2008, transportation petroleum consumption was down by 1,434 trillion Btu in 2008 as compared to 2007. To help reduce transportation-related emissions, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency launched its SmartWay Program in 2004 in collaboration with the freight industry. Created to foster energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gases and air pollution, the program aims to lower carbon dioxide emissions by 33 to 66 million metric tons and up to 200,000 tons of nitrogen oxide annually by 2012.
Stacey Meinzen has a broad range of experience in climate change policy. From her work with ICLEI doing a municipal greenhouse gas inventory to her news coverage of climate change for Flex Your Power's e-Newswire, to her research on climate change policy for Green For All, she has absorbed a range of views and interests about the best way to deal with this complex issue. Her primary interest is in local solutions that can be executed with sound policy to support them. She founded ClimateActionPlans.com to highlight key green projects and the programs and policies that allow them to happen.