Emissions in California drop 2.4% due to electric vehicles and cleaner fuels

California’s greenhouse gas emissions are projected to fall by about 2.4% in 2022 — an encouraging sign that the state’s carbon footprint is once again shrinking even as the economy recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic, according to state officials.

The California Air Resources Board announced Friday that emissions of planet-warming gases are reduced by about 9.3 million metric tons of carbon dioxide in 2022 compared to 2021 — the equivalent of removing 2.2 million gasoline-powered vehicles from the roads for a year.

More than half of these reductions came from the transportation sector as California drivers bought more electric vehicles and less gasoline. Also, cargo trucks that haul goods to and from ports and rail yards are running on crop-based biofuels instead of traditional diesel fuel.

“The numbers are clear: Our world-leading regulations are reducing emissions, spurring innovation, and getting us closer to achieving our climate goals,” Air Resources Board Chairwoman Liane Randolph said in a statement. “A future with clean air and a vibrant economy is possible, and California is leading the way.”

The level of greenhouse gas emissions in 2022 was the lowest since 2020, a year hit by the pandemic, economic shutdowns and supply chain disruptionsIn 2021, California’s emissions rose by about 3.4%, driven by a surge in consumerism and the reawakening of the economy following the development of a vaccine.

Officials said the drop in greenhouse gas emissions in 2022 shows the state is continuing to reduce carbon emissions while growing the economy. From 2000 to 2022, statewide emissions have decreased by 20% while gross domestic product (the value of goods and services) has increased by 78%.

“I think one of the things that’s important to note is that there was a pretty dramatic reduction in 2020 during COVID and (there was) a little bit of a comeback in 2021,” said Steven Cliff, executive officer of the state Air Resources Board. “We haven’t seen that comeback continue. Thankfully. You know, the policies are working. And in fact, here in ’22 we’re actually pretty close to where we were in 2020 when we saw that really dramatic reduction.”

With the world’s fifth-largest economy and the nation’s largest population, California has made great progress in moving away from fossil fuels. But there are still questions over whether the state will be able to achieve its ambitious climate goals, including a 2030 target of reducing its carbon footprint by 40% compared to 1990 levels.

To meet this goal, Californians would need to eliminate an additional 113 million metric tons of carbon dioxide per year—equivalent to the emissions from 29 coal-fired power plants.

Some experts have expressed skepticism about reaching that goal, but Cliff said he is optimistic.

“The goal here is to achieve the goals that are mandated by the law (and) accelerate them to reach the long-term goals, obviously, as rapidly as possible,” Cliff said.

“We have a lot of policies that are just starting to be implemented, and that’s why I’m hopeful that over time the reductions will trend toward that goal,” Cliff said. “So I think we’re on the right track.”

Transportation remains the state’s biggest source of emissions, with passenger vehicles contributing 27% of the state’s planet-warming gases. But electric vehicle sales have made tremendous progress. In 2022, more than 300,000 zero-emission or plug-in hybrid vehicles were sold in California, representing nearly 20% of all light-duty vehicle sales.

This progress is encouraging, as the share of car sales will increase by 2023, when 1 in 4 cars purchased in California will be zero-emissions.

California continues to expand the role of renewable energy in its electricity grid. About 50% of the state’s electricity comes from wind, solar, or zero-emission nuclear power.

The state’s industrial emissions also fell by 2% to the lowest level since greenhouse gas assessments began in 2000, mainly due to a continued decline in oil production.

Methane, a heat-trapping gas that warms the planet 80 times faster than carbon dioxide, has surged from the state’s dairy farms, landfills and pipeline leaks over the past two decades. Agricultural and waste emissions are set to decline slightly in 2022, officials say. Establishment of cow dung storage facilities and solid waste reduction, both aimed at reducing methane emissions.

But greenhouse gas emissions from commercial and residential buildings have increased as more workers return to large office buildings, which require heating and cooling. As a result, emissions of hydrofluorocarbons – a high-warming gas – have increased.