Greenhouse gas emissions in the USA increased by 2.0% in 2004 from 6.9 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2003 to 7.1 billion in 2004.
The figures have been released by the Energy Information Administration (EIA) in its Emissions of Greenhouse Gases in the United States 2004 report. However, while overall emissions rose the intensity of emissions per unit GDP fell from 677 tonnes per million dollars to 662 tonnes in 2004, a decline of 2.1%.
Nonetheless, while the increase is below the rate of economic growth it is above the average annual growth rate of 1.1% in greenhouse gas emissions since 1990.
Key findings in the report showed emissions of carbon dioxide from energy consumption and industrial processes grew by 1.7% with carbon dioxide emissions rising by about 19% since 1990.
