No Green New Deal needed: All 50 states cut carbon emissions

By EPN Staff

Per-capita carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from energy consumption decreased in every state between 2005 and 2023, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA).

Nationwide, total energy-related emissions fell 20%, even as the population increased by 14%, and some states cut total emissions by nearly 50%, the EIA said.

Much of the decrease came from the nation’s move away from coal to natural gas, which produces about half the CO2 emissions of coal to generate electricity. Rapid growth in solar and wind generation have also contributed.

Why it matters

While many states have implemented climate policies and renewable energy standards to curb CO2 emissions, market dynamics have also played a significant role.

Natural gas is now cheaper than coal in the United States, and by some measurements, solar energy is even cheaper, though those calculations don’t always account for transmission and other costs, which can be substantial.

Large companies are also pushing for lower-emission power sources, pressuring utilities to move away from coal. Lawsuits and cleanup costs have driven up the price of coal-fired power as utilities struggle to keep coal ash pollutants out of water supplies.

All of this means that even states without strict climate laws – like Georgia and Indiana – have seen significant CO2 emission cuts.

More details

Maryland not only saw the biggest decline (a 49% decrease) in per-capita CO2 emissions between 2005 and 2023, but it now has the lowest per-capita CO2 emissions of any state.

Their example is instructive. The EIA said coal accounted for 56% of Maryland’s in-state electricity generation in 2005 with natural gas at 4%. By 2023 those percentages had essentially reversed.

After Maryland, the biggest per-capita CO2 drops came from:

• District of Columbia (-48%)
• Georgia (-45%)
• Delaware (-43%)
• North Carolina (-42%)
• Tennessee (-42%)
• Utah (-42%)

Yes, but

The EIA calculates emissions based on where they are produced, not consumed. This methodology can result in higher reported emissions for states that export electricity and lower figures for those that import it. Similarly, transportation emissions are assigned to the state where the fuel is sold, regardless of where the vehicle operates.

The bigger picture

The EIA said that it expects a 1% increase in CO2 emissions this year, “in part because of more recent increased fossil fuel consumption for crude oil production and electricity generation growth.”

Earlier this year, the Trump administration ordered some coal and oil-burning plants that were slated for closure to stay open to meet rising energy demand. 

In September, the administration announced a $625 million federal investment “to expand and reinvigorate America’s coal industry,” with more than half that money set to modernize existing plants or recommission closed ones.