How to Read EIA's U.S. Energy-Related Carbon Dioxide Emissions Report — Sectors, Preliminary Data and Rounding
EIA (July 2026): U.S. energy-related CO2 emissions 4,904 million metric tons in 2025 (preliminary), up 2% or about 115 million; electric power up 58 million, the largest rise in tons.
Key figures (U.S. Energy-Related Carbon Dioxide Emissions, 2025)
As of 6 November 2026, 00:15 KST (retrieved by this page at that time); most recently published report: U.S. Energy-Related Carbon Dioxide Emissions, 2025, from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), released July 21, 2026, based on preliminary data. The page gives the next release date as Summer 2027, without a specific day. Primary source: https://www.eia.gov/environment/emissions/carbon/[1]
| Indicator (U.S. energy-related CO2 emissions, million metric tons; each row compares 2024 with 2025) | Previous period (2024) | Current period (2025, preliminary) | Change vs previous | Change vs year ago: same as previous for an annual series | Evidence type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 4,789 | 4,904 | increased by 2%, or about 115 MMmt (text); +2.4% (calculated) | same comparison | levels: EIA Table 1 (from the Monthly Energy Review, May 2026); text change: EIA; calculated %: this page's calculation |
| Electric power sector | 1,427 | 1,485 | rose by 4%, or 58 MMmt (text); +4.1% (calculated) | same comparison | levels: EIA Table 1 (from the Monthly Energy Review, May 2026); text change: EIA; calculated %: this page's calculation |
| Residential sector | 304 | 331 | 9% (27 MMmt) for direct energy use (text); +8.9% (calculated) | same comparison | levels: EIA Table 1 (from the Monthly Energy Review, May 2026); text change: EIA; calculated %: this page's calculation |
| Commercial sector | 239 | 256 | 7% (17 MMmt) for direct energy use (text); +7.1% (calculated) | same comparison | levels: EIA Table 1 (from the Monthly Energy Review, May 2026); text change: EIA; calculated %: this page's calculation |
| Industrial sector | 955 | 960 | less than 1% (5 MMmt) (text); +0.5% (calculated) | same comparison | levels: EIA Table 1 (from the Monthly Energy Review, May 2026); text change: EIA; calculated %: this page's calculation |
| Transportation sector | 1,863 | 1,871 | less than 1% (text); +0.4% (calculated) | same comparison | levels: EIA Table 1 (from the Monthly Energy Review, May 2026); text change: EIA; calculated %: this page's calculation |
Comparison basis: emissions are in million metric tons of carbon dioxide (MMmt), rounded to whole numbers as published in EIA's Table 1, whose figures come from the Monthly Energy Review (MER), May 2026, Tables 11.1 to 11.6. The text gives rounded percent changes; calculated changes are this page's, rounded half up to one decimal. The residential and commercial percentages in the text describe direct energy use emissions.[1]
In three lines
1. This annual EIA report summarizes U.S. carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels and other energy uses, by sector, for the latest year.
2. Preliminary 2025 emissions were 4,904 million metric tons, up 2%, or about 115 million.
3. The electric power sector had the largest increase, 58 million metric tons.[1]
What the report says about its own data
Preliminary figures. "This initial analysis is based on preliminary 2025 data published in the May 2026 edition of the MER." "These values are subject to change as final data are published from underlying sources, according to source data revision policies and publication schedules." "Although these results are still preliminary, we expect only minor revisions to these estimates."[1]
Scope. The figures cover CO2 from fossil-fuel combustion and from non-combustion uses of energy products, such as industrial feedstocks. "We do not include estimates of CO₂ emissions outside this scope or other greenhouse gas emissions burned or released in production, extraction, or distribution of energy products." "Our approach may result in discrepancies between our emissions estimates and those of other organizations, including other U.S. government agencies."[1]
Corrections and rounding. "This report was updated to address an error on electric power generation in the written text." On Table 1: "Totals may not equal sum of components due to independent rounding."[1]
EIA's own explanations. The report attributes the changes it describes; these are EIA's statements, quoted here, not this page's analysis. On homes and businesses: "Increases in CO₂ were primarily a result of colder winter weather relative to 2024." On electricity, EIA reports net generation in the electric power sector up 3%, or 119 terawatthours (TWh), and coal-fired generation up 13% (85 TWh), raising coal-related emissions by 78 MMmt, natural gas-fired generation down 4% (64 TWh), lowering its emissions by 23 MMmt, and wind and solar generation up 12 and 75 TWh.[1]
Reading in pairs
Sector rows vs the total. The five sectors add to 4,903 MMmt in 2025 against a published total of 4,904, and to 4,788 in 2024 against 4,789 (this page's sums). Each of the six figures is rounded to a whole number, so independent rounding can open a gap of up to 3; a gap of 1 is within that range, consistent with EIA's rounding note.[1]
Tons vs percent. The electric power sector had the largest increase in tons (58 MMmt), while the residential sector had the largest percent increase (+8.9% in this page's calculation, 9% in the text for direct energy use). Transportation remained the largest sector, 38.2% of the 2025 total in this page's calculation, with electric power at 30.3%.[1]
Report year vs data vintage. The 2025 figures are from the May 2026 MER; later MER editions can carry revised values, so this table and a current MER table need not match. EIA says it would revise this report only if major revisions occur.[1]
Electricity generation vs emissions. EIA reports coal generation up 85 TWh and gas generation down 64 TWh, with emissions changes of +78 and -23 MMmt. The report gives these per-fuel effects; it does not establish how much of the sector's 58 MMmt rise would have occurred under a different generation mix.[1]
Verified facts
Each fact is labelled with its evidence typeEach fact in this section carries its evidence type — either cross-checked against independent sources, or confirmed from a single authoritative record.
U.S. energy-related carbon dioxide emissions increased by 2%, or about 115 million metric tons, in 2025, to 4,904 million metric tons (preliminary).[1] 1 source · authoritative record
Carbon dioxide emissions from the U.S. electric power sector rose by 4%, or 58 million metric tons, in 2025.[1] 1 source · authoritative record
EIA's 2025 emissions analysis is based on preliminary data published in the May 2026 Monthly Energy Review.[1] 1 source · authoritative record
EIA lists the next release of its energy-related carbon dioxide emissions report as Summer 2027.[1] 1 source · authoritative record
Statements and readings
Not counted as facts — each item shows what kind of statement it isFrom here on: statements not counted as facts — single-source reports, the issuing body’s own statements, and this page’s own readings, each labeled.
The five sector rows add to 4,903 million metric tons in 2025, one less than the published total, a gap within the range independent rounding of six whole numbers can produce.[1] This page’s own calculation or reading · This page's sums of EIA Table 1
Transportation was 38.2% of 2025 U.S. energy-related CO2 emissions and electric power 30.3%.[1] This page’s own calculation or reading · This page's calculation from EIA Table 1
Timeline
- 2026-07-21
EIA releases U.S. Energy-Related Carbon Dioxide Emissions, 2025.[1]
What this page could not establish
These are questions this page tried to answer and could not. The gaps are left open rather than filled with a guess.- How will the final 2025 emissions compare with the preliminary 4,904 million metric tons?
- On what day will the next report be released?
- Model
- claude-opus-5
- Time
- 11/06/2026, 00:15
- Body characters
- 5,693
- Sources
- 1 source adopted
- Model
- ChatGPT (checked sources on the web)
- Time
- 11/06/2026, 00:31
- Verdict
- Revision required
Show revision history (3)
| 11/06/2026, 09:00 | First authored (claude-opus-5) | Created |
| 11/06/2026 | First version. Read in full EIA's U.S. Energy-Related Carbon Dioxide Emissions, 2025 web report; quotations are complete sentences matched against the source text. | Updated |
| 11/06/2026 | Revised after review: the next release is stated only as Summer 2027, without a specific day and without assuming which data year it covers; quotations use the subscript CO₂ as rendered on the EIA page. | Updated |
Frequently asked
What were U.S. energy-related CO2 emissions in 2025?
4,904 million metric tons, preliminary, up 2% or about 115 million metric tons from 4,789 in 2024, per EIA's July 21, 2026 report.[1]
Which sector's CO2 emissions rose most in tons in 2025?
The electric power sector, up 58 million metric tons (4%) to 1,485 million in 2025.[1]
Are the 2025 CO2 emissions figures final?
No: the 2025 figures are preliminary, from the May 2026 Monthly Energy Review; EIA expects only minor revisions and says it would revise the report for major ones.[1]
Does EIA's 2025 CO2 report include methane and other greenhouse gases?
No: the 2025 report covers only energy-related CO2 and excludes other greenhouse gases released in producing, extracting or distributing energy.[1]
Do the 2025 sector rows add up to the total?
Not exactly: in 2025 they add to 4,903 against a total of 4,904 million metric tons; EIA notes totals may not equal the sum of components due to independent rounding.[1]
When is the next EIA CO2 emissions report?
EIA lists the next release as Summer 2027, without a specific day.[1]