US failed to lower carbon emissions in 2024, analysis finds

illuminem summarizes for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on POLITICO or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: U.S. greenhouse gas emissions remained flat in 2024, with a 0.2% drop from 2023, according to the Rhodium Group
• Increased renewable energy generation was offset by higher emissions from transportation and natural gas consumption
• The U.S. remains far from its Paris Agreement climate commitments, with significant reductions needed by 2030

🔭 The context: Renewables like wind and solar surpassed coal in electricity generation for the first time, while methane emissions from oil and gas declined
• However, transportation emissions rose by 0.8%, driven by increased air and road travel, and natural gas use in power generation also grew
• Emissions from buildings slightly increased due to higher energy demand during hot weather

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Despite progress in renewable energy, rising fossil fuel use in other sectors undermines climate goals
• The U.S. risks falling short of its 2030 target to halve emissions from 2005 levels, essential for limiting global warming to 1.5°C
• Achieving these targets requires a more aggressive reduction strategy across all sectors

⏭️ What's next: The U.S. must implement policies driving an annual 7.6% emissions reduction through 2030—an unprecedented pace outside of economic recessions
• Experts stress the importance of reducing transportation and natural gas emissions while accelerating renewable energy adoption
• The upcoming 2025 climate policy review could reshape federal strategies

💬 One quote: "Reaching the 2030 target would require annual emissions reductions of 7.6 percent through 2030, a level the US has not seen outside of a recession in recent memory," Rhodium wrote

📈 One stat: U.S. emissions in 2024 were roughly 20% below 2005 levels, far from the 50% reduction target for 2030

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