U.S. greenhouse gas emissions grew the most of any G20 country last year : NPR
A new United Nations report highlights that U.S. greenhouse gas emissions grew more than any other G20 country last year. The increase is attributed to rising electricity demand and Trump administration policies supporting fossil fuels.
Why it matters
As global climate goals slip out of reach, the United States stands out as a major economy reversing course on emissions reductions.
Countries are not doing enough to cut emissions that cause climate change, according to a new report from United Nations scientists. And the United States is a big part of the problem.
The U.S. sticks out as the only major economy where planet-warming pollution increased dramatically last year, the report notes.
It finds that last year, the U.S. was tied with Russia as the G20 countries with the most per capita emissions of carbon dioxide and other planet-warning gases. China emits significantly more total greenhouse gases each year than the U.S., but has more than four times the population.
Overall, global emissions were basically the same last year as they were the previous year.
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