Executive Summary

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ES.2 Recent Trends in U.S. Greenhouse Gas
Emissions and Sinks
In 2015, total gross U.S. greenhouse gas emissions were 6,586.2 million metric tons (MMT) of CO 2 Eq. Total U.S.
emissions have increased by 3.4 percent from 1990 to 2015, and emissions decreased from 2014 to 2015 by 2.2
percent (150.1 MMT CO 2 Eq.). The decrease in total greenhouse gas emissions between 2014 and 2015 was driven
in large part by a decrease in CO 2 emissions from fossil fuel combustion. The decrease in CO 2 emissions from fossil
fuel combustion was a result of multiple factors, including: (1) substitution from coal to natural gas consumption in
the electric power sector; (2) warmer winter conditions in the first quarter of 2015 resulting in a decreased demand
for heating fuel in the residential and commercial sectors; and (3) a slight decrease in electricity demand. Lastly,
since 1990, U.S. emissions have increased at an average annual rate of 0.2 percent. Figure ES-1 through Figure ES-3
illustrate the overall trends in total U.S. emissions by gas, annual changes, and absolute change since 1990. Overall,
net emissions in 2015 were 11.2 percent below 2005 levels as shown in Table ES-2.
Table ES-2 provides a detailed summary of gross U.S. greenhouse gas emissions and sinks for 1990 through 2015.
Figure ES-1: Gross U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Gas (MMT CO2 Eq.)
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4 DRAFT Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990–2015