Emissions

The number one sector in the U.S. responsible for greenhouse gas emissions as of 2019 was transportation at 29%, according to the EPA. This includes gas and diesel used for cars, trucks, planes, ships, and trains. Globally, that number was 14% per the IPCC.

Industry accounted for 23% of U.S. emissions in 2019 according to the EPA, primarily from burning fossil fuels for energy. This also includes emissions from using chemical reactions to transform raw materials into goods. Globally, industry accounts for 21% of direct emissions per the IPCC.

In the US, the EPA reports that agriculture was responsible for 10% of our greenhouse gas emissions in 2019. Managed forests and other land areas can actually act as a carbon sink, absorbing more carbon dioxide than they emit; however, land use and forestry still accounted for 12% of U.S. emissions in 2019. Globally, per the IPCC, agriculture, forestry, and other land use comprise 24% of direct emissions.

According to the EPA, electricity accounts for 25% of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. Of that, around 62% comes from burning fossil fuels such as coal and natural gas. Globally, according to the IPCC, that figure is likewise 25% of direct GHG emissions.

Commercial and residential buildings accounted for 13% of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. in 2019, according to the EPA. This includes burning fossil fuels for heat, using certain products, and waste handling. According to the IPCC, that figure is 6.4% of direct greenhouse gas emissions globally.

According to the IPCC, other energy accounts for 9.6% of direct global greenhouse gas emissions. This refers to energy sector emissions other than electricity and heat production.