Carbon Rollercoaster: A Historical Analysis of Decarbonization in the United States

Karen Clay (), Akshaya Jha (), Joshua Lewis () and Edson Severnini ()
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Karen Clay: Carnegie Mellon University
Akshaya Jha: Carnegie Mellon University
Joshua Lewis: University of Montreal
Edson Severnini: Boston College

No 18008, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: This paper documents the evolution of US carbon emissions and discusses the main factors that contributed to the historical carbon emissions rollercoaster. We divide the discussion into four periods – up to 1920, 1920-1960, 1960-2005 and after 2005. For each period, we discuss the main drivers of national carbon emissions. We then discuss trends in carbon emissions in the electricity sector. Electricity sector emissions were initially very small, but would become the largest source of US carbon emissions over the period 1980-2015, and the largest contributor to decarbonization since 2007. In the final section, we distill lessons from the U.S. experience that may inform decarbonization strategies in developing economies.

Keywords: environmental regulation; electricity sector; energy transition; decarbonization; carbon emissions; clean air act; climate policy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: N72 Q31 Q48 Q54 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025-07
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