Carbon dioxide emissions from the generation of electricity in the United States are at their lowest in 30 years, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
A recent EIA report noted that, due to a change in the fuel mix and improvements in electricity generating technology, CO2 emissions are the lowest they have been since 1987. Much of this is due to a declining use of coal and an increased use of natural gas in generating electricity. While natural gas is a fossil fuel, natural gas-powered generating plants are slightly more efficient than coal-powered plants and natural gas plants emitted about half of the CO2 that coal plants emitted in 2017.
It was noted by a U.N. conference that natural gas can help smooth the transition to a low-carbon economy.