Status Quo Would Keep US CO2 Emissions Near Current Level For Next 30 Years - Energy Dept.

US emissions of carbon dioxide would remain relatively constant between now and 2050 if policies remain unchanged, but current trends in energy technology continue to evolve, the Energy Information Administration said in a press release on Wednesday

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th March, 2019) US emissions of carbon dioxide would remain relatively constant between now and 2050 if policies remain unchanged, but current trends in energy technology continue to evolve, the Energy Information Administration said in a press release on Wednesday.

"The AEO [Annual Energy Outlook] 2019 Reference case, which reflects no changes to current laws and regulations and extends current trends in technology, projects that US energy-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions will be 5,019 million metric tons in 2050, or 4 percent below their 2018 value," the release said.

Carbon emissions associated with coal and petroleum consumption fall and emissions from cleaner burning natural gas consumption rise by enough to offset growing emissions as energy consumption increases, especially in transportation, EIA predicted.

The Trump administration has downplayed the threat of climate change caused by carbon dioxide produced when burning fossil fuels in a bid to turn the United States into the world's leading energy producer.