According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) absolute energy-related carbon dioxide emissions declined 3.8 percent in 2012 at the same time the U.S. GDP grew by 2.8% in 2012..
For comparison from 1996 through 2011 the carbon intensity of the Canadian economy - which is much less carbon intense than the U.S. economy - decreased by an average 2% per year.
A large decrease in energy intensity (energy per dollar of GDP) contributed to the 2012 decline in energy-related carbon dioxide emissions despite economic growth.
The population grew by about 0.7 % and per capita output rose by about 2 % in 2012. The emissions decline was the largest in a year with positive growth in per capita output.
the overall carbon intensity of the economy (carbon dioxide per GDP) declined 6.5 % in 2012. This was the result of the combined reduction in energy intensity as well as the carbon intensity of the energy supply. The carbon intensity of electricity generation has decreased by by 13 % from 2007 to 2012. About two thirds of this reduction is ascribable to the shift from coal to natural gas. The remainder is mainly the result of a 9-percent increase in renewable and nuclear generation.
Lower residential sector electricity consumption in 2012 compared to 2011 helped lower emissions. Electricity-generation emissions are the primary source of residential sector emissions. After the residential sector, the next biggest decline in energy consumption was in the transportation sector.
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