Colorado’s making progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions

Today, we released a new report that found Colorado was better than the national average in reducing per capita emissions of planet-warming greenhouse gasses between 2005 and 2022. Colorado cut per capita emissions by 29%, and the national average was 25%. 

However, we are below average in our overall GHG reduction, with our total emissions having dropped by only 10%, worse than the national average of 15%. 

The progress we’ve seen mostly comes from the power sector, where emissions dropped by 29%. This is mainly because coal-fired power plants have shut down, replaced with wind and solar energy. 

On the other hand, Colorado emissions from the transportation sector have increased by 7% and residential emissions—primarily from burning fossil fuels to heat homes and the water they use—have jumped up 23%. 

This means we still have work to do.  

In your home, we recommend taking advantage of the tax credits that cut the cost of electric vehicles and clean heat strategies like heat pumps.

We need to continue pushing forward on lowering emissions in every sector. A greener, healthier world requires our state to do what it can to eliminate the pollution and practices that are warming the planet and changing our climate.