EPA Announces CO2 Reduction

The U.S. reduced both its greenhouse gas and carbon dioxide emissions for 2006, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. In its annual Greenhouse Gas Inventory, the EPA published its findings (which usually take a year to compile, hence the 2006 data) that overall emissions fell by 1.5%.

Transportation is the largest contributor of CO2, at one-third of the total, and makes up 27% of all greenhouse gas emissions. One of the reasons cited for the decrease was restrained fuel consumption on the part of consumers, although this is likely due more to high prices than rising consumer consciousness.

Now that we find ourselves in a period when gas prices might spike 20 or 30 cents a gallon in an already-weak economy, fuel consumption should fall even further. The question now is whether U.S. consumers and automakers can weather this storm and come out on the other side with smarter buying habits and better technology.

A 1.5% drop — while not insignificant when you consider that during the previous 15 years emissions grew by 14% overall — will need to be built on, with consumers, businesses and government taking on a share of the burden.

As always, it’s important to note that car shoppers play a particularly important role in determining what vehicles hit the roads.

EPA: US Greenhouse Gas Emissions in 2006 Decreased 1.5% from Prior Year (Green Car Congress)