US CO2 gas emissions decline

Global greenhouse gas emissions have fallen despite robust economic activity in the United States, according to a study by a research firm, a hopeful sign for climate and planetary activists alike.

Global greenhouse gas emissions have fallen for the second year in a row, according to a report by research firm Rhodium Group, with emissions falling by about 0.2%.

The fact that emissions are falling while economic activity is picking up is cause for optimism, Ben King, associate director of Rhodium Group’s energy and climate practice and author of the report, told Bloomberg. “This now signals the beginning of potential progress in carbon removal efforts to help reduce emissions, rather than just a side effect of some broader structural change happening in the economy.”

Intensity of methane emissions from the oil and gas industry in the U.S. saw a significant drop, with a 28% decrease between 2019 and 2021 among the industry’s 100 biggest emitters. This was part of a broader trend where greenhouse gas emissions intensity, including carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and methane, fell by 30% during the same period. However, not all companies or sectors have achieved this reduction uniformly, showing variability within the industry