U.S. Carbon Emissions Report | Choose Energy
U.S. carbon dioxide emissions annual report
Carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions result from both natural and human processes. The largest contributor is the burning of fossil fuels, like coal and natural gas, for electricity generation. The Energy Information Administration (EIA) tracks carbon emissions in the United States with a detailed annual report of every state’s emission levels.
This guide is regularly updated by the Choose Energy experts to reflect the most recent EIA data.
Which states emit the most carbon dioxide?
The EIA report reveals which states produce the most carbon dioxide. Texas currently leads with 669.9 million metric tonnes (MMT) emitted in 2023.
| State | Total MMT CO₂ - 2023 |
|---|---|
| Texas | 669.9 |
| California | 324.3 |
| Florida | 229.5 |
| Pennsylvania | 200.9 |
| Ohio | 184.2 |
| Louisiana | 183.8 |
| Illinois | 166.6 |
| New York | 164.9 |
| Indiana | 153.9 |
| Michigan | 141.1 |
States emitting the least carbon dioxide
Fortunately, some states, like Vermont and Rhode Island, are tipping the scales with drastically less carbon dioxide emissions.
| State | Total MMT CO₂- 2023 |
|---|---|
| Vermont | 5.4 |
| Rhode Island | 11.1 |
| Delaware | 12.2 |
| New Hampshire | 13.5 |
| South Dakota | 15.1 |
| Maine | 15.6 |
| Hawaii | 18.0 |
| Idaho | 21.3 |
| Montana | 29.4 |
| Connecticut | 36.2 |
Recent changes to carbon dioxide emissions by state
The following table calculates the annual percentage change in carbon dioxide emissions per state from 2022 to 2023.
| State | Carbon dioxide emissions 2023 - MMT | Percentage (%) change from 2022 |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 101.0 | -7.8 |
| Alaska | 43.2 | 2.6 |
| Arizona | 83.0 | 3.2 |
| Arkansas | 60.4 | -4.6 |
| California | 324.3 | 0.1 |
| Colorado | 82.2 | -5.0 |
| Connecticut | 36.2 | -2.2 |
| Delaware | 12.2 | -3.9 |
| Florida | 229.5 | -0.8 |
| Georgia | 125.7 | 0.7 |
| Hawaii | 18.0 | -0.6 |
| Idaho | 21.3 | 2.4 |
| Illinois | 166.6 | -9.2 |
| Indiana | 153.9 | -5.9 |
| Iowa | 68.0 | -4.9 |
| Kansas | 57.8 | -7.2 |
| Kentucky | 104.8 | -4.6 |
| Louisiana | 183.8 | -4.7 |
| Maine | 15.6 | 4.0 |
| Maryland | 48.6 | -4.0 |
| Massachusetts | 56.8 | -4.2 |
| Michigan | 141.1 | -8.4 |
| Minnesota | 80.8 | -4.0 |
| Mississippi | 63.8 | -1.8 |
| Missouri | 101.5 | -10.3 |
| Montana | 29.4 | -0.7 |
| Nebraska | 45.6 | -5.4 |
| Nevada | 39.3 | -3.0 |
| New Hampshire | 13.5 | -2.2 |
| New Jersey | 91.2 | -1.6 |
| New Mexico | 42.2 | -9.4 |
| New York | 164.9 | -0.8 |
| North Carolina | 111.4 | -4.7 |
| North Dakota | 54.3 | -5.4 |
| Ohio | 184.2 | -6.2 |
| Oklahoma | 86.9 | 0.1 |
| Oregon | 38.9 | 4.3 |
| Pennsylvania | 200.9 | -6.0 |
| Rhode Island | 11.1 | 9.9 |
| South Carolina | 68.8 | 2.1 |
| South Dakota | 15.1 | -1.9 |
| Tennessee | 88.5 | -3.1 |
| Texas | 669.9 | 0.6 |
| Utah | 55.0 | -8.6 |
| Vermont | 5.4 | -1.8 |
| Virginia | 94.6 | -1.9 |
| Washington | 76.3 | 1.9 |
| West Virginia | 74.6 | -5.7 |
| Wisconsin | 86.2 | -5.1 |
| Wyoming | 54.3 | -3.6 |
| United States | 4,781.9 | -3.0 |
States with the highest per capita carbon emissions
The most accurate way to view CO₂ emissions is per capita, since some states will naturally produce more because they have more residents. When viewed per capita, Wyoming overtakes Texas as the state with the highest emissions per capita.
| State | Per capita CO2 emissions in 2023 |
|---|---|
| Wyoming | 92.9 |
| North Dakota | 68.8 |
| Alaska | 58.6 |
| West Virginia | 42.1 |
| Louisiana | 40.1 |
| Montana | 26.0 |
| Kentucky | 23.0 |
| Nebraska | 22.9 |
| Indiana | 22.4 |
| Texas | 21.8 |
States with the lowest per capita carbon emissions
Maryland beats Massachusetts by a small margin for the lowest carbon dioxide emissions per capita.
| State | Per capita CO2 emissions in 2023 |
|---|---|
| Maryland | 7.8 |
| Massachusetts | 8.0 |
| California | 8.3 |
| New York | 8.4 |
| Vermont | 8.4 |
| Oregon | 9.1 |
| New Hampshire | 9.7 |
| New Jersey | 9.7 |
| Washington | 9.7 |
| Connecticut | 9.9 |
Which states are improving their carbon footprint?
The emergence of renewable energy sources for electricity generation has gradually diversified our energy resources. While coal and gas remain the most prevalent fuels for electricity generation, some states have made significant strides towards decreasing their CO₂ emissions since 2000. After retiring many of its coal power plants and significantly shifting to renewables, Maryland secured the greatest decrease in CO₂ emissions over the last two decades.
| State | CO2 emissions 2000 - MMT | CO2 emissions 2023 - MMT | Percentage (%) change since 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland | 78.4 | 48.6 | -38.0 |
| Indiana | 239.2 | 153.9 | -35.7 |
| West Virginia | 115.7 | 74.6 | -35.5 |
| Tennessee | 128.7 | 88.5 | -31.2 |
| Massachusetts | 82.3 | 56.8 | -31.0 |
| Ohio | 266.8 | 184.2 | -31.0 |
| Maine | 22.3 | 15.6 | -30.0 |
| Alabama | 142.4 | 101.0 | -29.1 |
| Illinois | 234.3 | 166.6 | -28.9 |
| Kentucky | 146.8 | 104.8 | -28.6 |
States that have increased their CO₂ emissions since 2000
Unfortunately, not all states have successfully decreased their carbon emissions. In fact, a handful have actually increased their CO₂ emissions since 2000.
| State | CO2 emissions 2000 - MMT | CO2 emissions 2023 - MMT | Percentage (%) change since 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Idaho | 15.7 | 21.3 | 35.7 |
| Nebraska | 41.6 | 45.6 | 9.6 |
| North Dakota | 51.0 | 54.3 | 6.5 |
| South Dakota | 14.2 | 15.1 | 6.3 |
| Mississippi | 61.3 | 63.8 | 4.1 |
State carbon dioxide emissions by sector
Carbon dioxide emissions can be broken down into five main sectors: commercial, electric power, residential, industrial, and transportation. Since every state has different needs, the carbon emissions vary by sector in each state. Find out which sector contributes the highest amount of CO₂ in your state.
| State | CO2 emissions 2023 - MMT | Percentage from commercial sector | Percentage from electric power sector | Percentage from residential sector | Percentage from industrial sector | Percentage from transportation sector |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 101 | 2.1% | 43.1% | 1.8% | 17.2 | 35.8 |
| Alaska | 43.2 | 5.3% | 6.7% | 3.9% | 49.8 | 34.0 |
| Arizona | 83 | 4.1% | 41.6% | 3.4% | 5.5 | 45.4 |
| Arkansas | 60.4 | 5.6% | 45.4% | 3.0% | 13.9 | 32.1 |
| California | 324.3 | 6.3% | 10.7% | 8.3% | 18.8 | 55.9 |
| Colorado | 82.2 | 5.6% | 32.8% | 10.1% | 14.4 | 37.1 |
| Connecticut | 36.2 | 11.6% | 25.4% | 18.8% | 4.1 | 39.8 |
| Delaware | 12.2 | 6.6% | 12.3% | 7.4% | 29.5 | 44.3 |
| Florida | 229.5 | 2.8% | 39.0% | 0.6% | 5.1 | 52.5 |
| Georgia | 125.7 | 3.5% | 31.7% | 5.6% | 9.5 | 49.6 |
| Hawaii | 18 | 2.2% | 29.4% | 0.0% | 5.0 | 63.3 |
| Idaho | 21.3 | 7.5% | 11.7% | 10.8% | 15.5 | 54.5 |
| Illinois | 166.6 | 8.2% | 22.7% | 13.0% | 20.3 | 35.9 |
| Indiana | 153.9 | 3.7% | 38.5% | 5.0% | 27.9 | 24.9 |
| Iowa | 68 | 5.3% | 28.4% | 6.8% | 31.0 | 28.7 |
| Kansas | 57.8 | 4.8% | 34.1% | 6.4% | 22.8 | 32.0 |
| Kentucky | 104.8 | 2.5% | 48.4% | 2.6% | 14.3 | 32.3 |
| Louisiana | 183.8 | 1.1% | 14.3% | 0.9% | 58.1 | 25.6 |
| Maine | 15.6 | 11.5% | 10.3% | 17.9% | 9.0 | 50.6 |
| Maryland | 48.6 | 10.3% | 17.1% | 10.9% | 5.1 | 56.6 |
| Massachusetts | 56.8 | 13.2% | 10.6% | 20.6% | 5.5 | 50.2 |
| Michigan | 141.1 | 7.5% | 33.7% | 12.9% | 12.7 | 33.3 |
| Minnesota | 80.8 | 8.8% | 22.8% | 11.5% | 20.5 | 36.4 |
| Mississippi | 63.8 | 2.4% | 41.5% | 2.2% | 17.1 | 36.8 |
| Missouri | 101.5 | 4.2% | 44.9% | 6.0% | 8.2 | 36.7 |
| Montana | 29.4 | 6.1% | 45.9% | 6.1% | 15.0 | 26.9 |
| Nebraska | 45.6 | 4.8% | 40.4% | 5.3% | 19.7 | 29.8 |
| Nevada | 39.3 | 6.4% | 31.0% | 7.6% | 7.9 | 47.3 |
| New Hampshire | 13.5 | 10.4% | 14.1% | 18.5% | 5.9 | 51.1 |
| New Jersey | 91.2 | 10.4% | 14.8% | 15.1% | 10.2 | 49.3 |
| New Mexico | 42.2 | 4.5% | 32.2% | 5.5% | 21.1 | 37.0 |
| New York | 164.9 | 13.0% | 15.8% | 19.2% | 5.0 | 47.1 |
| North Carolina | 111.4 | 4.4% | 32.4% | 4.4% | 8.4 | 50.4 |
| North Dakota | 54.3 | 2.4% | 48.1% | 2.2% | 30.9 | 16.4 |
| Ohio | 184.2 | 6.4% | 33.8% | 8.8% | 19.5 | 31.4 |
| Oklahoma | 86.9 | 3.7% | 29.1% | 4.3% | 27.5 | 35.6 |
| Oregon | 38.9 | 6.7% | 23.7% | 7.7% | 11.6 | 50.4 |
| Pennsylvania | 200.9 | 5.7% | 33.1% | 9.0% | 24.3 | 28.0 |
| Rhode Island | 11.1 | 8.1% | 35.1% | 18.0% | 5.4 | 34.2 |
| South Carolina | 68.8 | 3.2% | 36.9% | 2.8% | 10.6 | 46.2 |
| South Dakota | 15.1 | 5.1% | 17.9% | 6.6% | 25.2 | 44.4 |
| Tennessee | 88.5 | 4.4% | 25.1% | 4.4% | 15.3 | 50.8 |
| Texas | 669.9 | 2.1% | 27.7% | 1.8% | 35.2 | 33.3 |
| Utah | 55.0 | 6.2% | 38.0% | 8.5% | 11.8 | 35.5 |
| Vermont | 5.4 | 16.7% | 0.0% | 24.1% | 7.4 | 53.7 |
| Virginia | 94.6 | 6.0% | 22.6% | 6.0% | 11.4 | 53.9 |
| Washington | 76.3 | 6.3% | 16.3% | 7.6% | 14.3 | 55.7 |
| West Virginia | 74.6 | 2.1% | 62.5% | 2.0% | 16.1 | 17.3 |
| Wisconsin | 86.2 | 7.9% | 34.9% | 10.3% | 12.6 | 34.2 |
| Wyoming | 54.3 | 1.8% | 61.9% | 1.8% | 21.0 | 13.4 |
| United States | 4781.9 | 5.1% | 29.6% | 6.6% | 20.0 | 38.8 |
Commercial sector
New York’s high population and dense concentration of office buildings contribute to its high commercial carbon emissions.
| State | Commercial sector CO2 emissions | Commercial sector percentage (%) |
|---|---|---|
| New York | 21.4 | 13.0% |
| California | 20.5 | 6.3% |
| Texas | 14.1 | 2.1% |
| Illinois | 13.6 | 8.2% |
| Ohio | 11.7 | 6.4% |
| Pennsylvania | 11.4 | 5.7% |
| Michigan | 10.6 | 7.5% |
| New Jersey | 9.5 | 10.4% |
| Massachusetts | 7.5 | 13.2% |
| Minnesota | 7.1 | 8.8% |
Electric power sector
High electricity production across Texas placed it at the top of the electric power sector’s carbon emissions list in 2023.
| State | Electric power sector CO2 emissions | Electric power percentage (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | 185.3 | 27.7% |
| Florida | 89.5 | 39.0% |
| Pennsylvania | 66.5 | 33.1% |
| Ohio | 62.3 | 33.8% |
| Indiana | 59.2 | 38.5% |
| Kentucky | 50.7 | 48.4% |
| Michigan | 47.5 | 33.7% |
| West Virginia | 46.6 | 62.5% |
| Missouri | 45.6 | 44.9% |
| Alabama | 43.5 | 43.1% |
Residential sector
New York ranked first for carbon emissions in the residential sector. In fact, it emitted more carbon dioxide for residential purposes than for commercial.
| State | Residential sector CO2 emissions | Residential percentage (%) |
|---|---|---|
| New York | 31.7 | 19.2% |
| California | 26.9 | 8.3% |
| Illinois | 21.6 | 13.0% |
| Michigan | 18.2 | 12.9% |
| Pennsylvania | 18.0 | 9.0% |
| Ohio | 16.3 | 8.8% |
| New Jersey | 13.8 | 15.1% |
| Texas | 11.8 | 1.8% |
| Massachusetts | 11.7 | 20.6% |
| Minnesota | 9.3 | 11.5% |
Industrial sector
In 2023, Texas produced 235.8 MMT of carbon dioxide for the industrial sector, more than twice the amount of any other state in the U.S.
| State | Industrial sector CO2 emissions | Industrial percentage (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | 235.8 | 35.2% |
| Louisiana | 106.8 | 58.1% |
| California | 60.9 | 18.8% |
| Pennsylvania | 48.8 | 24.3% |
| Indiana | 42.9 | 27.9% |
| Ohio | 36.0 | 19.5% |
| Illinois | 33.9 | 20.3% |
| Oklahoma | 23.9 | 27.5% |
| Alaska | 21.5 | 49.8% |
| Iowa | 21.1 | 31.0% |
Transportation sector
Texas and California emitted the most carbon dioxide for the transportation sector, with 223 and 181.3 MMT, respectively.
| State | Transportation sector CO2 emissions | Transportation percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | 223.0 | 33.3% |
| California | 181.3 | 55.9% |
| Florida | 120.4 | 52.5% |
| New York | 77.6 | 47.1% |
| Georgia | 62.4 | 49.6% |
| Illinois | 59.8 | 35.9% |
| Ohio | 57.8 | 31.4% |
| Pennsylvania | 56.2 | 28.0% |
| North Carolina | 56.1 | 50.4% |
| Virginia | 51.0 | 53.9% |