Innovation Drives U.S. Leadership on Climate, Energy Priorities

Mike Sommers
Posted April 19, 2019

New polling from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce finds that 79 percent of voters agree that the best way to address climate change is through investments in innovation and technology:

U.S. success in reducing greenhouse gas emissions shows they’re right.

Thanks to technological breakthroughs, America leads the world not only in production of natural gas and oil but in reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. And no other country comes close. Greater use of clean natural gas has driven U.S. carbon emissions to their lowest levels in a generation.

That’s not all. America’s natural gas and oil industry has invested billions – more than double that of any other industry – in zero- and low-emissions technologies. Thanks to cleaner fuels and other breakthroughs, combined emissions of the primary air pollutants have dropped 73 percent since 1970 – at the same time GDP, energy use and vehicle miles have climbed substantially. We’ve reduced our surface footprint by up to 90 percent, and industry innovation has cut emissions of ozone precursors and methane – all while achieving record high production that has boosted economic growth, national security and household savings.

Around the world, there’s opportunity as well. Globally, nearly 1 billion people still don’t have access to electricity, while an additional 1.2 billion have only intermittent access. But U.S. natural gas is a critical part of the solution. Learn how exports of U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) can deliver economic and environmental benefits.

At every stage of our operations, the U.S. natural gas and oil industry is meeting the climate challenge head-on. And we’re committed to building on our success, meeting growing world demand for energy that’s affordable, reliable and sustainable.