Data Centers and Coal Helped Drive Up US Emissions in 2025
The country’s greenhouse gas emissions grew by an estimated 2.4%, reversing the downward trend of the previous two years.
US greenhouse gas emissions ticked higher last year following two years of declines, according to an estimate released Tuesday by the Rhodium Group, a research firm. They rose more than the country’s gross domestic product, reversing the earlier decoupling of emissions from economic growth.
The 2.4% jump was driven by the buildings and power sectors, according to the new report. Colder winter temperatures increased demand for space heating, while data centers and cryptocurrency mining pushed electricity usage higher. Coal generation jumped 13% last year compared to 2024 — the second time in the past decade that the fuel’s use increased in the US, reflecting higher natural gas prices.