The country’s total energy-related carbon dioxide emissions fell by 20% during 2005 and 2023. Credit: Victoria 1/Shutterstock.com.

Between 2005 and 2023, the per capita carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions from energy consumption declined in every US state, according to the US Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) State Energy Data System.

The country’s total energy-related CO₂ emissions fell by 20% during this period while population grew by 14%, resulting in a 30% drop in per capita emissions.  

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It was reported that CO₂ emissions nationwide have primarily decreased due to a reduction in coal consumption within the electric power sector.

This decline was due to electricity generation from natural gas, which emits approximately half the CO₂ per unit of energy compared to coal, as well as from renewable sources such as wind and solar.

EIA’s ‘Short-Term Energy Outlook’ anticipates a 1% rise in US total CO₂  emissions in 2025, partly due to higher fossil-fuel use for crude oil production and electricity generation growth.  

Maryland recorded the largest decline in per capita emissions, down by 49% between 2005 and 2023.  

The state’s total CO₂ emissions dropped by 43% while its population grew by 11%. 

Maryland also achieved the lowest per capita CO₂ emissions among states in 2023, at 7.8 tonnes, the second lowest level on record since 1960. 

In the state, coal and natural gas made up 56% and 4%, respectively, for electricity generation in 2005.  

By 2023, the mix had shifted to 5% coal and 41% natural gas, with new solar and wind generation contributing to a 74% cut in the state’s power sector-related COâ‚‚ emissions. 

In 2023, the transportation sector was the leading source of CO₂ emissions in almost all states along the east and west coasts of the contiguous US. These states typically have higher population densities and increased road and air travel.  

Many of these coastal states have ceased using coal for electricity generation, leading to a reduction in CO₂ emissions since 2005. 

In 2023, the electric power sector was the leading source of CO₂ emissions in 18 states. 

Many states, including Pennsylvania, Alabama, and Wyoming, act as net electricity suppliers to neighbouring regions. A significant portion of their electricity production is derived from coal.  

The industrial sector was the top emitter in four states, comprising Texas, Louisiana, and Alaska, where oil, gas, and refining dominate and in Iowa, where agriculture and biofuels contribute significantly. 

Just five states accounted for more than half of all US industrial emissions in 2023.