CA-BOOM: Emergency Response Needed For Emissions Explosion
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 04.13.07
Carbon boom is what we mean. Environment California yesterday released a C02 emissions inventory report which compares California to national and regional trends. Many of the conclusions are familiar; but here it is, laid out in one handy resource. An excellent starting point for policy making, going forward. A few excerpts from the executive summary:- "This report examines trends in U.S. global warming pollution nationally and by state and concludes that the failure to limit emissions nationwide has allowed global warming pollution to grow out of control."
Carbon dioxide pollution is on the rise.
• Carbon dioxide pollution from fossil fuel consumption is on the rise in the United States, increasing by 18 percent between 1990 and 2004.• Electric power plants and the transportation sector—particularly cars and light trucks—drove the increase in emissions nationwide. Between 1990 and 2004, U.S. carbon dioxide emissions from the electric power sector jumped by 28 percent and from the transportation sector by almost a quarter (23 percent).
• Carbon dioxide emissions increased the most in the Southeast, Great Lakes/Midwest, and Gulf South regions over the 15 year period. The states experiencing the largest absolute increases in carbon dioxide emissions between 1990 and 2004 are Texas, Florida, Illinois, North Carolina, and Georgia.
• The electric power sector was the primary factor driving the increase in U.S. carbon dioxide emissions between 1990 and 2004.
• The transportation sector accounted for 40 percent of the nation’s overall increase in carbon dioxide emissions between 1990 and 2004.
