Scorecard Summary:
Fulfilment of Rio Conference Commitment - Red
Current Government Position on Climate Change - Red
Per Capita Emissions - Red (19.13 metric tons per person in 1992)
National CO2 Emissions - Red (4,881 million metric tons in 1992)

OVERALL ASSESSMENT:
Stalling, must do better, unconcerned about need for early action, and works to own internal economic agenda. As the world's leading carbon dioxide emitter, the US must take strong action domestically to reduce emissions.

NATIONAL CLIMATE PROTECTION GOAL:
In 1993 President Clinton announced the Climate Change Action Plan (CCAP) committing the US to return greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by the year 2000, through cost-effective domestic actions. (This is seen by the US as a voluntary, non-binding target).

SPECIFIC FEATURES:
The United States continues to be the largest carbon dioxide emitter, accounting for nearly 22 percent of the world's emissions from fossil fuel burning. The US also tops the list of per capita emissions with 19.1metric tons per year in 1992, compared to the average for the OECD of 12 tons per capita. Currently, CO2 emissions are rising fastest in the electricity generation and transport sectors which account, respectively, for 34 and 31 percent of national emissions. In 1990, combustion of petroleum products was responsible for about 44 percent of total US energy-related CO2 emissions, while 36 percent arose from coal use and 20 percent from burning natural gas. The US is also the largest producer and consumer of energy. 88 percent of US energy supply is met by the combustion of fossil fuels, with the remainder from enewables and other energy sources such as nuclear, hydropower and biomass. In 1991, coal accounted for 32 percent of domestic energy production, natural gas 29 percent, and renewables 0.2 percent. Energy intensity (energy use per dollar of GDP) has remained relatively flat since 1986. The US ranks slightly behind the OECD average of 0.41 tons of oil equivalent per $1000 of GDP.

NEGATIVE FEATURES:
The US will not achieve its national climate protection goal of stabilisation by 2000. In 1993, CO2 emissions were already 4.1 percent above the level of 1990. Moreover, in its national communication to the Climate Convention, the US foresees greenhouse gas emissions in the year 2010 being at least 10 percent higher than the level projected for 2000. By 2010, imported oil is expected to account for 60 percent of US consumption, up from 44 percent in 1993. With regard to coal use, 55 percent of US electricity in 1995 was generated by coal-fired power plants which converted barely one-third of the fuel's useful energy into electricity. The current market is heavily biased towards continued operation of existing coal-fired units that often create between 4 and 10 times more pollution than would be allowed for newer power plants. Low energy prices in the US contribute to limited incentives for energy efficiency improvements and greenhouse gas emission reductions.

POSITIVE FEATURES:
Some of the voluntary programmes in the US have stimulated innovative action, although there is potential for double-counting on emission savings and budget cuts have restricted the introduction of programmes in general. Between 1995 and 2010, emerging renewable sources of energy - especially wind, solar, biomass, geothermal and biofuels - are expected to grow steadily at rates exceeding those of other sources. The "milestone concept" introduced by the US in its CCAP to monitor progress could be useful for other countries.

Sources: US Climate Action Plan; US Climate Action Report (UNFCCC Submission 1994); World Resources 1996-97; Report on the in-depth review of the national communication of the USA. FCCC/IDR.1/USA.