North America's carbon budget in debt
A U.S. report finds that North America's capacity to soak up greenhouse gases is smaller than previously thought.
North America produces 3–4 times more CO2 than its vegetation and waters can absorb, according to a report released November 13 by the U.S. Climate Change Science Program, an interagency government panel. Combined, the U.S., Mexico, and Canada release 2 billion tons—more than 25% of the global total—of carbon into the atmosphere each year, mostly as CO2.
The First State of the Carbon Cycle Report tallies the continent's net contribution of carbon to the atmosphere. Electricity generation is the largest single source of carbon emissions in the U.S., and more than half of that electricity is consumed by buildings. In 2003, energy consumption by U.S. buildings alone led to more CO2 emissions than from any other country in the world except China.
