Data & insights
Carbon Footprint Dashboard
US emissions data, sector breakdowns, and interactive tools. All sourced from EPA and peer-reviewed research.
US Emissions by Sector
Transportation is now the single largest source of US greenhouse gas emissions.
| Sector | Share | Approx. Billion Tons CO₂e |
|---|---|---|
| Transportation | 28% | 1.56 |
| Electric Power | 25% | 1.39 |
| Industry | 23% | 1.28 |
| Agriculture | 10% | 0.56 |
| Commercial | 7% | 0.39 |
| Residential | 6% | 0.33 |
| Other | 1% | 0.06 |
Source: EPA National GHG Inventory 2022 (published 2024)
Average American's Footprint by Category
Transportation and home energy together account for ~58% of a typical American's carbon footprint.
Source: EPA 2022, USDA, Poore & Nemecek 2018
Diet & Carbon: Annual Impact
What you eat is one of the highest-leverage lifestyle choices for your carbon footprint. A vegan diet produces 3× less than a meat-heavy one.
Source: Poore & Nemecek 2018 (Science), Oxford University. Includes land use change, methane, N₂O.
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Flight Emissions by Route
A single long-haul round trip can equal 10–30% of an average American's annual footprint. Business class multiplies emissions by 2–6×.
| Route | One-Way Distance | Economy (round trip) | Business (round trip) |
|---|---|---|---|
| NYC → LAX | 2,475 mi | 1,040 lbs CO₂e | 2,940 lbs CO₂e |
| NYC → London | 3,459 mi | 1,870 lbs CO₂e | 5,300 lbs CO₂e |
| NYC → Tokyo | 6,740 mi | 3,240 lbs CO₂e | 9,180 lbs CO₂e |
| LA → Miami | 2,757 mi | 1,157 lbs CO₂e | 3,274 lbs CO₂e |
| Chicago → Dallas | 803 mi | 551 lbs CO₂e | 1,560 lbs CO₂e |
| Seattle → Denver | 1,025 mi | 617 lbs CO₂e | 1,748 lbs CO₂e |
Source: ICAO Carbon Emissions Calculator methodology. Includes radiative forcing index (RFI ≈2.0). Round trip values.
Carbon Equivalency Calculator
Enter any CO₂e amount to see what it's equivalent to in everyday terms.
US GHG Emissions Trend (2005–2022)
Total US emissions have declined ~25% from their 2005 peak, driven by coal plant retirements and efficiency improvements. But more work remains to hit climate targets.
2005 peak
7.38 billion tons
2022 (latest)
5.56 billion tons
Reduction
−24.7%
Source: EPA National Greenhouse Gas Inventory, April 2024