McKinsey report on greenhouse gas emissions
The US needs "strong, coordinated, economy-wide action" in the form of a comprehensive abatement programme to prevent a sharp increase in greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs), a recent study by McKinsey suggests
Annual GHG emissions in the US are projected to rise from 7.2 gigatons in 2005 to 9.7 gigatons in 2030 – an increase of 35% - according to a US government analysis cited by McKinsey. Moreover, growth in emissions would be accompanied by a gradual decrease in the absorption of carbon by US forests and agricultural land.
Continued expansion of the US economy, rapid growth in the buildings-and-appliances and transportation sectors and increased use of carbon-based power for electricity generation are seen as the main drivers of projected emissions growth, according to McKinsey.
In 2030, this would lead to a situation whereby the US exceeds the GHG emissions reduction targets contained in the economy-wide climate change bills currently before Congress by up to 5.2 gigatons, the study predicts.
The US could reduce CO2 emissions by up to 4.5 gigatons by 2030 by using a comprehensive abatement programme and high-potential emerging technologies, at a marginal cost of less than €50 per ton, while maintaining comparable levels of consumer utility, the study points out.
