made genuine progress against a number of pollutants. Table 12.1 lists the change in carbon dioxide

emissions by energy users (from residential to industrial) according to the U.S. Energy Information

Administration (EIA). The table shows that emissions of certain key air pollutants declined substantially from

2007 to 2012. They dropped 740 million metric tons (MMT) a year—a 12% reduction. This seems to indicate

that there has been progress made in the United States in reducing overall carbon dioxide emissions, which

contribute to the greenhouse effect.

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12.1 • The Economics of Pollution 283

Year

Coal Natural Gas Petroleum Total

1973 1,221 1,175

2,325

4,721

2007 2,171 1,245

2,587

6,016

2020 875

1,648

2,042

4,576

TABLE 12.1 Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Energy

Consumption, by Source (Source: EIA Monthly

Energy Review)

Despite the gradual reduction in emissions from fossil fuels, many important environmental issues remain.
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