US GHG Emissions Up 32 Million Tons YOY - New Record 7.147 BMT - Reuters

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WASHINGTON - The amount of US greenhouse gas emissions linked to global warming that were released into the air increased 0.6 percent last year, but fell in intensity when based on economic output, the government said on Tuesday.

Energy companies believe global warming will get more play in the new Democratic-led Congress that convenes in January. Democratic lawmakers are expected to push for legislation that would force oil refineries, utilities and other industries to lower their emissions of carbon dioxide, a key greenhouse gas.

US greenhouse gas emissions totaled 7.147 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2005, up from 7.105 billion metric tons the year before, according to a report from the US Energy Information Administration. During 2005, about 83 percent of those emissions were made up of carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels, such as petroleum, coal and natural gas, the EIA said.

"US emissions trends are driven largely by trends in fossil energy consumption," the Energy Department's analytical arm said. Since 1990, which is the base year under the international Kyoto global warming treaty, the EIA said, US greenhouse gas emissions have increased 17 percent from 6.113 billion metric tons.

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