The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) released its short-term energy outlook (STEO) on Jan. 11, 2022, the first to include forecasts for 2023.
According to the forecast, the total energy-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions increased by 6.2% in 2021 as the U.S. economy started to recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
It forecast that emissions will rise by 1.8% in 2022 and by 0.5% in 2023. Even with growth over the next two years, forecast CO2 emissions in 2023 are 3.4% lower than 2019 levels. Energy-related CO2 emissions are sensitive to changes in weather, economic growth, energy prices, and fuel mix.
The STEO continues to reflect heightened levels of uncertainty as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Notably, the Omicron variant of COVID-19 raises questions about global energy consumption.
Read more: www.eia.gov