Sparklines
Record-Low Emissions Aren’t the Whole Energy Story
Total emissions are a function not just of how much fuel gets burned, but also what kinds.
Photographer: Ty Wright/Bloomberg
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In April of this year, U.S. energy sector emissions fell to their lowest levels since monthly record-keeping began in 1973. You can imagine the reasons why: Covid-19 travel restrictions, stay-at-home orders, and declining economic activity resulted in “sudden and significant changes in energy consumption,” in the words of the U.S. Energy Information Administration.