„Fast racts U.S.Transportation Sector Greenhouse Gas Emissions 1990-2020 A Unlwd SHMk Office of Transportation and Air «rrnf\i^™nUl p™BC,,an Quality EPA-420-F-22-018 May 2022 ------- Mobile Sources Transportation Non-Transportation Mobile Highway Vehicles Agricultural Equipment Aircraft Construction & Mining Equipment Ships & Boats Lawn & Garden Equipment Rail Logging Equipment Lubricants Recreational Equipment Pipelines1 Transportation Emissions of the United States The transportation sector is one of the largest contributors to anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the United States. According to the Inventory of US. Greenhouse Gds Emissions and Sinks 1990-2020 (the Inventory), the national inventory that the U.S. prepares annually under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the transportation sector accounted for the largest portion (27%) of total U.S. GHG emissions in 2020. Cars, trucks, commercial aircraft, and railroads, among other sources, all contribute to transportation end-use sector emissions. Within the sector, light-duty vehicles (including passenger cars and light-duty trucks) were by far the largest category, with 57% of GHG emissions, while medium' and heavy-duty trucks made up the second largest category, with 26% of emissions. Between 1990 and 2020, GHG emissions in the transportation sector increased more in absolute terms than any other sector (i.e., electricity generation, industry, agriculture, residential, commer- cial), due in large part to increased demand for travel. Greenhouse gas emissions from transportation sources include carbon dioxide (C02), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N20), and various hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). C02, CH4, and N20 are all emitted via the combustion of fuels, while HFC emissions are the result of leaks and endof-life disposal from air conditioners used to cool people and/or freight.2 When including emissions from non-transportation mobile sources such as agricultural, lawn and garden, and construction equipment, mobile sources constituted 31% of total U.S. GHG emissions in 2020. Share of U.S. Transportation Sector GHG Emissions by Gas, 20204 Note: Totals may not add to 100% due to rounding. Share of U.S. Transportation Sector GHG Emissions by Source, 20204'5 Note: Totals may not add to 100% due to rounding. Share of U.S. GHG Emissions by Economic Sector, 20203'4 Note: Totals may not add to 100% due to rounding. Medium- and Light-Duty Vehicles Residential 6% Commercial 7% Electric Power Industry 25% griculture 11% Industry 24% All Other Transportation Sources* 5% Ships & Boats 2% v 1 Pipeline emissions in the transportation sector include only C02 from the combustion of natural gas at compressor stations that power natural gas pipelines, not emissions from electricity use, non-C02 gases, or other types of pipeline equipment. Not that natural gas pipeline compressor stations are stationary equipment that are included in the transportation sector, but are not considered mobile sources. 2 C02 emissions from the combustion of biofuels are not directly included in the energy sector contribution (which includes the contribution of transportation and non-transportation mobile sources) to U.S. totals in the Inventory; instead, net carbon fluxes from changes in biogenic carbon reservoirs are accounted in the estimates for Land Use, Land-Use Change, and Forestry in the Inventory. See Page 4 for more information on the Inventory. 3 For presentation purposes, emissions from territories which constitute less than 1% of the total U.S. GHG emissions, are not shown in this chart, although they are included in the total emissions used to calculate the percentage share of emissions from each sector. See Table ES-6 in the Executive Summary of the Inventory for official data. See page 4 for more information on the Inventory. 4 "Transportation" emissions in these pie charts include C02, N20, CH4, and HFCs from domestic transportation sources like highway vehicles, aircraft, ships and boats, rail, pipelines and lubricants. They do not include emissions from international bunker fuel use by aircraft and ships or from non-transportation mobile sources such as agriculture and construction equipment. 5 "Other" sources include buses, motorcycles, pipelines, and lubricants. ------- U.S.Transportation GHG Emissions (Tg C02 Equivalent) Change from 1990 to 2020 U.S.Transportation GHG Emissions by Gas, 2020 (Tg C02 Equivalent) Absolute Percent On-Road Vehicles6 1,206.8 1,647.4 1,533.0 1,538.8 1,561.4 1,551.7 1,377.6 170.7 14.1 Passenger Cars 639.6 691.7 763.2 760.6 770.2 763.1 617.7 -21.9 -3.4 Light-Duty Trucks 326.7 537.7 330.0 324.3 325.6 323.7 315.8 -10.9 -3.3 Motorcycles 1.7 1.6 3.9 3.8 3.9 3.7 3.3 1.6 93.4 Buses 8.5 12.3 19.0 20.5 21.8 21.7 18.0 9.5 112.7 Medium- and Heavy- Duty Trucks 230.3 404.1 416.8 429.7 440.0 439.5 422.8 192.4 83.5 Aircraft 189.0 193.5 168.9 174.7 175.4 181.0 123.2 -65.8 -34.8 Commercial Aviation 110.9 133.9 121.5 129.2 130.8 135.4 92.1 -18.7 -16.9 Military Aircraft 36.1 19.9 12.6 12.6 12.2 12.2 10.8 -25.3 -70.1 General Aviation 42.0 39.6 34.8 33.0 32.4 33.4 20.2 -21.8 -51.9 Ships and Boats 47.0 45.4 40.7 43.8 41.1 40.0 32.3 -14.6 -31.2 Rail 39.0 51.5 40.2 41.4 42.5 39.7 34.2 -4.7 -12.2 Pipelines7 36.0 32.4 39.2 41.3 49.9 57.9 57.1 21.1 58.6 Lubricants 11.8 10.2 10.4 9.6 9.2 8.8 8.0 -3.8 -32.2 Transportation Total 1,529.6 1,980.3 1,832.4 1,849.6 1,879.5 1,879.1 1,632.4 102.8 6.7 On-Road Vehicles6 1,336.3 0.8 9.8 30.7 1,377.6 75.2 Passenger Cars 605.0 0.4 3.9 8.3 617.7 33.7 Light-Duty Trucks 297.8 0.2 2.2 15.6 315.8 17.2 Motorcycles 3.2 0.0 0.1 0.0 3.3 0.2 Buses 17.4 0.0 0.1 0.4 18.0 1.0 Medium- and Heavy- Duty Trucks 412.9 0.1 3.4 6.3 422.8 23.1 Aircraft 122.0 0.0 1.1 0.0 123.2 6.7 Commercial Aviation 91.3 0.0 0.8 0.0 92.1 5.0 Military Aircraft 10.7 0.0 0.1 0.0 10.8 0.6 General Aviation 20.0 0.0 0.2 0.0 20.2 1.1 Ships and Boats 27.6 0.4 0.2 4.2 32.3 1.8 Rail 33.7 0.1 0.3 0.1 34.2 1.9 Pipelines7 57.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 57.1 3.1 Lubricants 8.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 8.0 0.4 Transportation Total 1,584.7 1.2 11.4 35.0 1,632.3 89.1 U.S. Non-Transportation Mobile GH Non-Transportation Mobile8 167.3 224.8 195.4 202.0 207.6 211.5 199.3 32.0 19.1 Agricultural Equip. 44.9 52.6 41.5 41.2 41.2 41.0 40.4 -4.5 -9.9 Construction Equip. 50.3 78.5 61.8 67.0 70.2 72.4 67.1 16.7 33.2 Other 72.1 93.7 92.1 93.8 96.3 98.1 91.8 19.7 27.4 Non-Transportation + Transportation Total 1,696.9 2,205.1 2,027.8 2,051.6 2,087.1 2,090.7 1,831.7 134.8 7.9 Emissions U.S. Non-Transportation Mobile GHG Emissions by Gas, 2020 Non-Transportation Mobile8 192.2 1.0 6.1 0.0 199.3 10.9 Agricultural Equip. 39.1 0.1 1.2 0.0 40.4 2.2 Construction Equip. 65.1 0.2 1.8 0.0 67.1 3.7 Other 88.0 0.7 3.1 0.0 91.8 5.0 Non-Transportation + Transportation Total 1,777.0 2.2 17.4 35.0 1,831.6 100.0 Change in GHG Emissions by Source: 1990-2020 I Light Duty Vehicles ¦ Medium-and Heavy-Duty Trucks BAircraft ¦ Rail ¦ Non Transportation Mobile Sources BAN Other Transportation Sources ¦ Ships and Boats 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 GHG emissions and vehicle miles traveled (VMT) estimates for on-road vehicles presented in the Inventory are based on Federal Highway Adminstration (FHWA) data. In 2011 FHWA changed its methods for estimated VMT and related data, including how vehicles are classified. This change in vehicle classification moved some smaller trucks and sport utility vehicles from the light truck category to the passenger vehicle category in this Inventory, lead- ing to a shift in emissions among on-road vehicle classes. These changes apply to the 2007 to 2020 time period. Includes only C02 from natural gas used to power natural gas pipelines; does not include emissions from electricity use or non-C02 gases. Note: non-transportation mobile source C02 emissions estimates are presented here and in Annex 3.2 of the Inventory for informa- tional purposes,but these emissions are officially accounted for in the industrial and commercial sectors of the Inventory. See Annex 3.2 of the Inventory for more information. ------- 2020 Fuel Consumption Volume (billion gallons unless otherwise specified) Energy (Tbtu) C02 (Tg) MOTOR GASOLINE 112.2 13,929.0 984.1 Transportation9 Passenger Cars 68.3 8,490.0 599.9 Light-Duty Trucks 32.3 4,010.8 283.4 Medium- and Heavy-Duty Trucks 4.5 561.2 39.6 Motorcycles 0.4 45.7 3.2 Buses 0.1 12.0 0.8 Recreational Boats 1.1 140.0 9.9 Non-Transportation Mobile10 Agricultural Equipment 0.1 16.2 1.1 Construction Equipment 0.4 46.8 3.3 Other Non-Transportation Mobile 5.0 606.3 42.8 DISTILLATE FUEL 56.0 7,766.1 575.7 Transportation9 Passenger Cars 0.3 47.6 3.5 Light-Duty Trucks 1.4 188.0 13.9 Buses 1.5 209.5 15.5 Medium- and Heavy-Duty Trucks 36.3 5,031.0 372.9 Recreational Boats 0.3 35.5 2.6 Ships and Non-Recreational Boats 0.7 103.0 7.6 Rail 3.0 418.3 31.0 Non-Transportation Mobile10 Agricultural Equipment 3.7 510.7 37.9 Construction Equipment 6.0 827.5 61.3 Other Non-Transportation Mobile 2.8 395.1 29.3 RESIDUAL FUEL OIL 0.7 99.6 7.5 Ships and Boats 0.7 99.6 7.5 JET FUEL 12.4 1,670.2 120.6 Commercial Aircraft 9.4 1,263.3 91.3 General Aviation Aircraft 1.9 258.3 18.6 Military Aircraft 1.1 148.5 10.7 AVIATION GASOLINE 0.2 20.2 1.4 General Aviation Aircraft 0.2 20.2 1.4 ELECTRICITY (Billion Kilowatt hours) 11.5 39.3 4.7 Transportation Passenger Cars 4.0 13.6 1.6 Light-Duty Trucks 0.9 3.2 0.4 Buses 0.0 0.1 0.0 Rail 6.5 22.3 2.6 Volume (billion gallons unless otherwise specified) Energy (Tbtu) C02 (Tg) NATURAL GAS (billion cubic feet) 1,103.9 1,144.7 60.6 Transportation Passenger Cars 0.1 0.1 0.0 Light-Duty Trucks 0.2 0.2 0.0 Medium- and Heavy-Duty Trucks 0.8 0.8 0.0 Buses 16.2 16.8 0.9 Pipelines 1,041.0 1,079.5 57.1 Non-Transportation Mobile10 Agricultural Equipment 1.5 1.5 0.1 Construction Equipment 5.8 6.1 0.3 Other Non-Transportation Mobile 38.3 39.7 2.1 LPG 2.5 229.7 14.4 Transportation Passenger Cars 0.0 0.0 0.0 Light-Duty Trucks 0.0 1.0 0.1 Medium- and Heavy-Duty Trucks 0.0 4.2 0.3 Buses 0.0 1.4 0.1 Non-Transportation Mobile10 Agricultural Equipment 0.0 0.0 0.0 Construction Equipment 0.0 2.3 0.1 Other Non-Transportation Mobile 2.4 220.9 13.9 LUBRICANTS 0.0 1.0 8.0 Total11 193.2 24,899.8 1,777.0 BIOFUELS12 15.4 1,381.3 95.8 Transportation Biodiesel 1.9 239.0 17.7 Ethanol 11.7 994.6 68.1 9 Excludes contributions from biofuels. 10 Non-transportation mobile fuel consumption, energy, and C02 are estimated in part by the MOVES-Nonroad model (see wvw.epa.gov/ moves). Fuel consumption in MOVES-Nonroad is intended to reflect real-world usage and may include low-level ethanol blends. Note that non-transportation mobile source C02 estimates are presented here and in Annex 3.2 of the Inventory for informational purposes, but these emissions are officially accounted for in the industrial and commercial sectors of the Inventory and do not include emissions from biofuels. 11 Total Volume is the sum of physical (billion) gallons of fuel; because natural gas volumes are reported as million cubic feet, natural gas volumes are converted to billion gallons of gasoline equivalent for the Total Volume (billion gallons) sum in this table. 12 Biofuels are presented as line items for informational purposes only, in line with IPCC methodological guidance and UNFCCC reporting obligations. Biofuel estimates only reflect transportation sources and do not include biofuels used in non-transportation mobile sources, e.g., ethanol used in commercial or industrial applications. C02 emissions from the combustion of biofuels are not directly included in the energy sector (which includes transportation sources) of the Inventory; instead, net carbon fluxes from changes in biogenic carbon reservoirs are accounted in the estimates for Land Use, Land-Use Change, and Forestry in the Inventory. See page 4 for more information on the Inventory. 3 ------- Additional Information Data Sources for This Document The source for all data in this document is the Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and. Sinks 1990-2020 (EPA 2022). The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency prepares the inven- tory annually to fulfill the U.S. commitment under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), using calculation methods that are consistent with guidelines from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Complete information on the inventory is available at: www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/inventory-us-greenhouse-gas-emissions-and- sinks. The inventory methods and assumptions related to transportation and non-transportation mobile sources are available in the main body of the Inventory as well as Annex 3.2 of the Inventory. Inventory Definitions of Selected Transportation Categories13 Passenger Cars:14 automobiles used primarily to transport 12 people or less. In 2020, passenger cars traveled a total of 1,896,549 million vehicle miles. Light-Duty Trucks:14 vehicles used primarily for transporting light-weight cargo or which are equipped with special features such as four-wheel drive for off-road operation. In the U.S., this category also includes many vehicles that primarily transport passengers such as sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and minivans. The gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) normally ranges around 8,500 pounds or less. GVWR is the maximum weight a vehicle is designed to carry when passengers, fuel, cargo, and any other additions to the vehicle are accounted for. In 2020, light-duty trucks traveled a total of 672,196 million vehicle miles. Medium- and Heavy-Duty Trucks:14 vehicles with GVWR of more than around 8,500 pounds. In the Inventory, single unit trucks and combination trucks rep- resent the medium- and heavy-duty truck category, including tractor-trailers and box trucks used for freight transportation. In addition, this category includes some vehicles that are not typically used for freight movement such as service and utility trucks. In 2020, medium- and heavy-duty trucks traveled a of 317,245 million vehicle miles. Pipelines: systems that transport liquids, gases, or slurries through either above or below ground pipes. In the Inventory, the pipelines category includes emissions from the combustion of natural gas used to power pumps and other distribution equipment, while leaks and other emission sources from pipelines are assigned to the natural gas systems category. Emissions Metrics A teragram (Tg) is equal to 1 million metric tons. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are measured in this document in terms of teragrams of "carbon dioxide equivalent" (C02 Eq); an "equivalent" refers to the Global Warming Potential (GWP) of a greenhouse gas. GWP values are determined based on the chosen time horizon and properties of the gas, such as its ability to absorb radiation and its atmospheric lifetime. C02 has a GWP of "1"; all other greenhouse gases have GWP values relative to that of C02. For example, methane (CH4) has a radiative forcing value or GWP of 25, which means that releasing one ton of CH4 is equivalent to releasing 25 tons of C02. The data in this document is based on the 100-year time horizon GWP values from the IPCC's Fourth Assessment Report 15, in accordance with UNFCCC reporting guidelines for national GHG inventories. More information on greenhouse gases and GWP is available at: www.epa.gov/ ghgemissions/ overview-greenhouse-gases. 13 The data used to estimate emissions for specific transportation categories may not directly align with the Inventory's definition of the categories; both the data and Inventory definitions may also differ from EPA's regulatory definitions for the same categories. 14 GHG emissions and VMT estimates for on-road vehicles presented in the Inventory are based on FHWA data. In 2011 FHWA changed its methods for estimated VMT and related data, including how vehicles are classified. This change in vehicle classification moved some smaller trucks and sport utility vehicles from the light truck category to the passenger vehicle category in this Inventory, leading to a shift in emissions among on-road vehicle classes. These changes apply to the 2007 to 2020 time period. 15 See www.ipcc.ch/pdf/assessment-report/ar4/syr/ar4_syr.pdf. f. 4 ------- |