The United States Is a Leader In Creating a Clean Environment 

  • Americans have commuted less in 2020 due to the COVID pandemic. But even absent this trend, U.S. emissions have decreased dramatically down to around their 1980 levels thanks to a combination of renewable energy and cleaner traditional energy sources.
  • This is the largest absolute decline among all countries since 2000.
  • The United States has also worked to “clean up” more traditional power sources with the result that power plants have much reduced emissions of mercury, sulfur dioxide and nitrous oxide.

U.S. Innovation Has Led To A Burgeoning Energy Sector

  • Between the development of fracking and carbon capture and storage, the U.S. has been able to provide cheap, reliable energy while continuing to reduce emissions.
  • The renewable energy sector has taken off as well, with hydropower producing about 6.3 percent of total electricity, wind 7.2 percent, and solar 2.4 percent while energy storage (important for these renewables) has seen an 18-fold increase in capacity.
  • Nuclear power has improved with small modular reactors and microreactors.

We Should Continue Our Balanced Approach To Clean Energy 

  • Innovation, which will enable energy sources to become more reliable, efficient and affordable, is the real key to progress in making our energy supply cleaner and reducing our carbon footprint.
  • Extreme climate policies stifle innovation with excessive regulations while making energy less reliable and less affordable, especially for low-income individuals.
  • Our energy policies should prioritize creating a reliable and efficient energy supply while integrating cleaner energy technologies.

Click‌ ‌‌here‌‌ ‌to‌ ‌read‌ ‌the‌ ‌full‌ ‌policy‌ ‌focus‌ ‌and‌ ‌learn‌ ‌more‌ ‌about‌ American innovation in the energy sector.