A New Era in the U.S.: More Carbon Emissions from Transportation Than Utilities

"For the first time since 1979, America’s cars, trucks, and airplanes emit more carbon dioxide than its power plants do," according to an article by Brad Plumer.

Plumer is sharing analysis by Sam Omri, executive director of the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago, using data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration's "Monthly Energy Review" from May 2016 [pdf].

Plumer's post also digs into why energy utilities have been easier to clean up than the transportation sector—namely, that coal was easier to transition from for utilities than oil has been for cars, trucks, and planes. The article provides a lot more detail about the size and scope of the remaining challenges facing the transportation sector in reducing carbon emissions.