@detritus - No, the decline in US carbon dioxide emissions is not due to COVID. If you actually look at the graph you'll see US carbon emissions have been dropping since 2007, with little wiggles. They've dropped 20% since 2007 - and we expect them to keep dropping!

There was indeed a plunge during COVID, and it bounced back in 2023. But US carbon dioxide emissions in 2023 were 4,778 megatonnes, down 20% from the peak in 2007, namely 6016 megatonnes. Carbon emissions are expected to drop in 2024.

Too bad this information isn't more widely known! For data up to 2022 go here:

statista.com/statistics/183943

and for more recent data go here:

eia.gov/outlooks/steo/report/t

@kevinrns