North Carolina’s greenhouse gas emissions have reached their lowest point in decades, according to a new report from the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). The updated inventory tracks emissions across major sources from 1990 through 2022 and projects future trends through 2050. While the state has made significant progress in reducing emissions, officials warn that increased use of natural gas and coal for electricity could cause a temporary rise in emissions over the next several years.
“This report shows that common sense policies to reduce our state’s carbon emissions have succeeded while our economy has flourished,” said DEQ Secretary Reid Wilson. “We know that the demand for energy is growing. This inventory and the recent interim report from Governor Josh Stein’s Energy Policy Task Force underscore the need to redouble efforts to keep greenhouse gas emissions trending downward and transition our state to a clean-energy economy that produces thousands of high-quality jobs.”
The DEQ found that between 2005 and 2022, gross greenhouse gas emissions dropped by about 21%, while net emissions—accounting for carbon absorbed by natural lands—fell by 30%. These reductions occurred even as North Carolina’s population grew by 23% and its real Gross State Product rose by 38%.
Emissions peaked in 2007 before beginning a sharp decline after 2010, largely due to shifts away from coal toward natural gas and renewable energy sources for electricity generation. Federal standards on vehicle fuel and engines also contributed to lower transportation sector emissions.
Despite these gains, projections indicate net emissions will increase by about 7% between 2022 and 2030 before resuming a downward trend through mid-century. This anticipated uptick is attributed mainly to Duke Energy forecasts showing more natural gas and coal use.
The transportation sector remains the largest source of greenhouse gases in North Carolina, accounting for 39% of gross emissions in 2022. Forests, natural lands, and agricultural areas absorbed roughly one-third of gross emissions that year. With the exception of reduced activity during the pandemic in 2020, total emissions in 2022 were at their lowest since records began in 1994.
DEQ staff updated methods for estimating sector-specific emissions using new data and federal methodologies. As a result, they caution against directly comparing this year’s findings with previous inventories.
This update does not reflect possible emission increases resulting from the EPA’s recent repeal of all greenhouse gas standards for cars and trucks announced on February 12.
The DEQ releases an updated inventory every two years to help policymakers understand emission trends, evaluate mitigation strategies, and plan future actions. The latest report also supports initiatives like North Carolina’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grant program aimed at reducing atmospheric carbon.
The full inventory report is available at deq.nc.gov/GHGinventory.
The Department of Environmental Quality serves as North Carolina’s primary environmental agency with regulatory authority over air, land, water, and coastal environments statewide. It oversees air quality regulation, permit issuance, environmental law enforcement, waste management, water resource oversight, public education efforts, and stewardship programs throughout North Carolina. The agency maintains its central office at 217 West Jones Street in Raleigh.
