EPA: U.S. GHGs down 3.4% from 2011 to 2012; -10% from 2005

[GRA]

Via GCC:

"EPA: US greenhouse gases dropped 3.4% in 2012 from 2011; down 10% from 2005 levels"

http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/04/20140416-epaghg.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Not that what we do will matter, without the developing world:

"IPCC: GHG emissions accelerating despite mitigation efforts; major institutional and technological change required to keep the heat down"

http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/04/20140413-ipcc.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[Stoaty]

"The major contributors to the decrease in emissions from 2011-2012 were the decrease in energy consumption across all sectors in the US economy, and the decrease in carbon intensity for electricity generation due to fuel switching from coal to natural gas."

I don't believe it. Methane emissions have been found to be significantly higher than claimed by industry in several studies, and that likely negates the climate benefits of natural gas.

http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/04/16/3427285/ghg-emissions-down-2012/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/04/15/3426697/methane-vastly-underestimated/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[evnow]

Why compare to one particular year instead of looking at the trend ? Why pick data ?

 

[JeremyW]

I don't believe it. Methane emissions have been found to be significantly higher than claimed by industry in several studies, and that likely negates the climate benefits of natural gas.

Keep in mind a lot of new natural gas plants are combined cycle- using a combustion turbine (jet) to get some power, then running the exhaust through a heat recovery steam generator to power a steam turbine for additional power. They're incredibly efficient and flexible units. I like to call them the Prius of the power plant world.

 

[Stoaty]

Keep in mind a lot of new natural gas plants are combined cycle- using a combustion turbine (jet) to get some power, then running the exhaust through a heat recovery steam generator to power a steam turbine for additional power. They're incredibly efficient and flexible units. I like to call them the Prius of the power plant world.

The problem isn't with burning the natural gas, it's at the wells where the leaking occurs.

 

[nosuchthing]

Plus de-iced dark water (Arctic) and methane seeping from thawed permafrost.