U.S. carbon dioxide emissions 1975-2023, by sector
Transportation is the largest source of carbon dioxide emissions from energy consumption in the United States. Direct emissions from the U.S. transportation sector increased 0.9 percent in 2023, to roughly 1.85 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide (GtCO₂). The second-largest contributor to U.S. CO₂ emissions from energy consumption in 2023 was the electric power sector, which generated 1.4 GtCO₂. Between 1990 and 2015, the electric power sector was the biggest source of CO₂ emissions from energy consumption in the U.S., but emissions from this sector have fallen significantly in recent decades as the country shifts toward cleaner energy sources and phases out coal.