Where America’s CO2 emissions come from – what you need to know, in charts

By: Kenneth J. Davis, Penn State, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: December 13, 2025

Words: 1,119

Last Updated: 4 weeks, 1 day ago

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By Kenneth J. Davis, Penn State

Earth’s atmosphere contains carbon dioxide, which is good for life on Earth – in moderation. Plants use CO2 as the source of the carbon they build into leaves and wood via photosynthesis. In combination with water vapor, CO2 insulates the Earth, keeping it from turning into a frozen world. Life as we know it on Earth would not exist without CO2 in the atmosphere.

Since the industrial revolution began, however, …

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