Kiera Jefferson
The United States is one of the world's biggest polluters, second only to China. With just over 4% of the world's population, the US is responsible for almost a third of the excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Since the industrial revolution, the US has emitted 509 billion tons of carbon dioxide, almost twice as much as China. The average American burns twice as much fossil fuel as the average person in Europe or Japan and 10 times as much as the average person in India. The US also consumes 20% of the world's oil and is a top exporter, while China only consumes 14%. Despite this, the US has taken steps to reduce its emissions, such as shifting from coal to natural gas and lowering per capita carbon dioxide emissions since the 1970s. However, the Trump administration threatened to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement, a global pact to limit carbon emissions, which could hinder progress in addressing climate change.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Global efforts | Paris Agreement, COP28, CBAM in Europe, Inflation Act in the USA |
| Global carbon budget in 2023 | 36.8 billion tonnes |
| US per person emissions compared to China | 7 times more |
| US per person emissions compared to India | 23 times more |
| US per person emissions compared to Europe and Japan | 2 times more |
| US per person emissions compared to India | 10 times more |
| US share of world's population | 4% |
| US share of excess carbon dioxide | 1/3rd |
| China's share of excess carbon dioxide | less than 1/6th |
| US annual carbon dioxide emissions | 5.9 billion tons |
| China annual carbon dioxide emissions | 12.7 billion metric tons |
| US total carbon dioxide emissions since 1850 | 509 billion tons |
| China total carbon dioxide emissions since 1850 | 284 billion tons |
| US average carbon pollution per person | 17.6 tons |
| China average carbon pollution per person | 10.1 tons |
| US consumption of world's oil | 20% |
| China consumption of world's oil | 14% |
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What You'll Learn
US vs China emissions
The United States and China are two of the world's largest carbon emitters, with notable disparities in their carbon emissions. China has overtaken the US as the largest annual emitter of carbon dioxide, emitting nearly twice as much as the US annually. However, the US surpasses China in per capita emissions, with Americans producing twice as much carbon dioxide per person as Chinese residents.
The US has historically been the largest emitter, emitting more carbon dioxide each year than any other country until the mid-2000s when China's emissions rapidly increased. At China's 2021 emission rate, it would take approximately 15 years to match the US's historical contribution. The US's historical emissions have significantly contributed to global warming.
China's emissions are largely related to manufacturing, with many of the resulting products purchased by American consumers. The US imported $450.4 billion worth of goods from China in 2020, highlighting the interconnectedness of their emissions. China's emissions are influenced by its position as the world's largest developing economy, aiming to balance economic growth with carbon reduction. In 2025, China's emissions began to stabilize and decline due to increased clean energy usage, reduced power sector emissions, and structural factors such as vehicle electrification and the shift to liquified natural gas (LNG) in the freight sector.
The US, as a developed economy, faces pressure to reduce its emissions due to its impact on the climate and influence on other countries. Experts emphasize that the US should continue to decrease its emissions regardless of China's actions, as every fraction of a degree of warming avoided is crucial. The US's leadership on climate change is essential to encourage other countries to take action.
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US per capita emissions
The United States has been the biggest carbon polluter in history. With just over 4% of the world's population, the US is responsible for almost a third of the excess carbon dioxide that is heating the planet. China, the world's biggest emitter of carbon dioxide, produces 12.7 billion metric tons of emissions annually, while the US emits 5.9 billion tons. However, since 1850, the US has emitted almost twice as much as China: 509 billion tons compared to 284 billion tons.
The US has been burning coal, oil, and natural gas for far longer than China. The average Chinese person uses far less energy than the average American, about 10.1 tons of carbon pollution annually compared to 17.6 tons. The typical American also burns roughly twice as much as the average person in Europe or Japan and ten times as much as the average person in India.
The US has been making efforts to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions. From 1990 to 2022, US greenhouse gas emissions per dollar of goods and services produced by the US economy (the gross domestic product or GDP) declined by 55%. This change is likely due to increased energy efficiency and structural changes in the economy. A shift from coal to natural gas has also helped lower greenhouse gas emissions in the US.
Despite these efforts, the US still has high per capita emissions compared to the rest of the world. In 2021, the US per capita emission rate was nearly twice as large as China's and nearly eight times as large as India's. The US has also been criticized for abandoning the Paris Climate Deal, which aimed to limit global warming to a manageable level.
Overall, while the US has made some progress in reducing its per capita emissions, it still has a long way to go in addressing its high per capita emissions and its responsibility for causing climate change.
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US oil consumption
The United States is one of the world's top polluters, alongside China. The US consumes 20% of the world's oil, compared to China's 14%. The US has also been a top exporter of oil.
The US has been burning coal, oil, and natural gas for far longer than China. Despite this, China's emissions are currently higher, producing 12.7 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide annually compared to the US's 5.9 billion tons. However, since 1850, the US has emitted almost twice as much as China: 509 billion tons compared to China's 284 billion tons.
The average Chinese person uses less energy than the average American, with Americans emitting 17.6 tons of carbon pollution annually compared to China's 10.1 tons. The typical American burns twice as much as the average person in Europe or Japan, and 10 times as much as the average person in India.
The US has taken some steps to reduce its emissions, with a shift from coal to natural gas, which now accounts for about 30% of energy use in the country. There has been a 40% decline in coal-fired power generation in the US over the last decade, and no new coal plants have been built since 2013.
The US is a signatory to the 2015 Paris Agreement, which aims to limit global warming to below 2°C above pre-industrial levels. However, the US has also faced criticism for its withdrawal from emissions targets and pledges to help poorer countries battle global warming.
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US coal power
The United States is one of the world's largest polluters, alongside China. The US has been burning coal, oil, and natural gas for far longer than China. In 2006, US electrical generation consumed 1,027 million short tons (932 million metric tons) or 92.3% of the coal mined in the US. The US has not built a new coal plant since 2013, and there has been a 40% decline in coal-fired power generation in the country over the last decade.
Coal-fired power plants burn coal to produce steam, which turns turbines to generate electricity. In 2022, coal accounted for about 19.5% of US electricity generation, a decline from 52.8% in 1997. Coal consumption in the US has been declining since 2005, primarily due to reduced electric power sector coal consumption. In 2022, about 513 million short tons of coal were consumed in the US, the lowest percentage share since at least 1949. The primary use of coal in the US is to generate electricity, and the electric power sector has accounted for most US coal consumption since 1961.
The decline in coal-fired electricity generation in the US is driven by the increased availability and decreased cost of natural gas, as well as stricter environmental regulations. Natural gas now accounts for about 30% of energy use in the US, while coal has become more expensive. According to a 2023 report, it is now cheaper to build new renewable energy capacity than to maintain existing coal plants.
The US government has recently ordered some coal plants to stay open past their scheduled closures, citing concerns about meeting electricity demand and grid security. However, coal plants are major contributors to climate change and are often linked to health problems in nearby communities. The US has an outsized responsibility to address climate change, given its large role in causing it.
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US's role in the Paris Agreement
The Paris Agreement is a legally binding international treaty designed to combat global climate change. It was adopted in 2015 by 196 parties, including the United States, which pledged to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. The agreement sets long-term goals to substantially reduce global greenhouse gas emissions and limit the increase in global temperature to well below 2°C, and ideally 1.5°C, above pre-industrial levels.
The United States played a crucial leadership role in the development and initial adoption of the Paris Agreement. Former Secretary of State John Kerry hosted delegates in Paris, and former President Obama committed the country to contributing $3 billion to the Green Climate Fund. The United States officially joined the agreement in September 2016.
However, the Trump administration withdrew from the Paris Agreement in 2017, delivering an official notice of withdrawal to the United Nations in 2017, which took effect in 2020. This decision was widely criticized both domestically and internationally, with commentators noting that it isolated the United States and weakened its global leadership role. Trump's administration was also criticized for weakening environmental safeguards and promoting destructive fossil fuel projects.
Following the election of President Joe Biden in 2020, the United States officially rejoined the Paris Agreement on February 19, 2021, through an executive order. Biden has mapped out a $2 trillion clean energy and green jobs plan and has pledged to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. Despite this positive step, some commentators remain concerned about the reliability of the United States as a partner in the fight against climate change.
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Frequently asked questions
The US is the second-largest producer of carbon dioxide, behind China. The US is responsible for almost a third of the excess carbon dioxide in the world, with just over 4% of the world's population.
China produces 12.7 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide annually, while the US produces 5.9 billion tons. However, since 1850, the US has emitted almost twice as much carbon dioxide as China, with 509 billion tons of emissions compared to China's 284 billion tons.
The US has shifted from coal to natural gas, which has helped lower its greenhouse gas emissions. There has been a 40% decline in coal-fired power generation in the US over the last decade. The US is also a party to the 2015 Paris Agreement, which aims to limit global warming to below 2°C above pre-industrial levels.
