US CO2 Emissions Today

The United States emits approximately 13.4 million metric tons of CO2 per day based on annual EIA data of roughly 4.9 billion metric tons per year. This works out to about 155 metric tons every second, or 9,300 metric tons per minute.

The United States is the second largest CO2 emitter globally after China. China emits approximately 11-12 billion metric tons per year while the US emits approximately 4.9 billion. Together the two countries account for roughly 40% of global CO2 emissions.

The transportation sector is the largest source of US CO2 emissions at approximately 28% of total emissions, followed by the electric power sector at 25%, industry at 23%, commercial and residential buildings at 13%, and agriculture at 11%, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency.

The average American produces approximately 14-15 metric tons of CO2 per year — one of the highest per capita rates in the world. The global average is approximately 4.7 metric tons per person per year. European countries average 6-8 metric tons per person.

US CO2 emissions have generally trended downward since peaking around 2007, primarily due to a shift from coal to natural gas and renewable energy in electricity generation. However year-to-year changes vary based on economic activity, weather patterns, and energy prices.

This counter uses data from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA), the official US government source for energy and emissions statistics. The EIA publishes annual CO2 emissions data by sector and state. The counter calculates a per-second rate from the most recent annual total available.