{"id":403488,"date":"2025-09-20T12:34:14","date_gmt":"2025-09-20T10:34:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=403488"},"modified":"2025-09-20T12:34:16","modified_gmt":"2025-09-20T10:34:16","slug":"a-funny-thing-happened-on-the-way-to-reducing-carbon-dioxide-emissions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=403488","title":{"rendered":"A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Reducing Carbon Dioxide Emissions"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From Watts Up With That?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By David Middleton<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Guest \u201cI don\u2019t care who you are that\u2019s funny right there!\u201d by David Middleton<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

 In-brief analysis September 15, 2025<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Per capita energy-related CO2<\/sub> emissions decreased in every state between 2005 and 2023<\/a><\/h2>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
\"Bar
Data source:\u00a0<\/strong>U.S. Energy Information Administration,\u00a0<\/em>State Energy Data System<\/a>
Data values:\u00a0<\/strong>Per capita CO2<\/sub>\u00a0emissions from energy consumption<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n\n\n\n

Per capita CO2<\/sub> emissions from primary energy consumption decreased in every state from 2005 to 2023, according to recently released data in our State Energy Data System<\/a>. Total energy-related CO2<\/sub> emissions<\/a> in the United States fell 20% over that time, and the population<\/a> grew by 14%, leading to a 30% decrease in per capita CO2<\/sub> emissions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CO2<\/sub> emissions across the country primarily declined because less coal was burned in the electric power sector<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

[\u2026]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

US EIA<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

This bit really caught my eye:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Bar
Data source:\u00a0<\/strong>U.S. Energy Information Administration,\u00a0State Energy Data System<\/a>
Data values:\u00a0<\/strong>Per capita CO2<\/sub>\u00a0emissions from energy consumption<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

So\u2026 California and Texas both reduced \u201cper capita CO2<\/sub> emissions from primary energy consumption\u201d by 24% from 2005 to 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"A<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Why is this funny? Well, while energy production and energy consumption might not be the same thing, they are kind of related.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Line
Crude Oil Production by State<\/a>\u00a0Texas (Cyan, California (Gold)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\"Line
Natural Gas Gross Withdrawals and Production by State<\/a>\u00a0Texas (Gold), California (Cyan)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

I have no idea why the EIA swapped colors from crude oil to natural gas\u2026 Weird.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If that wasn\u2019t funny enough\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"A
Texas State Energy Profile<\/a>,\u00a0California State Energy Profile<\/a>,\u00a0Weekly Retail Gasoline and Diesel Prices<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

If California generates 68% of its electricity from renewables, while Texas wisely limits the unreliables to 33%\u2026 How can the TX\/CA ratio be 1.4? The ratio is of MWh. 33% of 49,339 thousand MWh is a bigger number than 68% of 17,301 thousand MWh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I couldn\u2019t make this schist up even if I was trying\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Gov. Abbot still beat Newsom in disaster relief despite Texas Democrats stalling, hiding out<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u2018The gears of government to improve the response to this disaster are being slowed down and denied because Democrats are not showing up and doing their job,\u2019 said Governor Abbott.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

 By Peter Pinedo<\/a> Fox News<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Published August 11, 2025<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite Democratic lawmakers fleeing and holding up vital relief efforts, Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott<\/a>\u2019s flood relief was faster than California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom\u2019s response to the L.A. wildfires.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This weekend, Abbott helped to present more than 60 of the families most impacted by the catastrophic floods<\/a> in the Texas Hill Country with $25,000 relief checks, which the governor called an initial \u201cdown payment\u201d on the relief still incoming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In an interview with Fox News Digital, Abbott explained the funds were a result of Texas partnering with country music legend George Strait and other private groups to ensure that funds raised by the star went straight to those who suffered the worst damage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[\u2026]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Strait\u2019s concert closely resembles a similar star-studded benefit concert, titled \u201cFireAid,\u201d in California that raised more than $100 million for victims of the wildfires in Los Angeles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

FireAid billed itself as \u201ca benefit concert for wildfire victims.\u201d Aside from music by the likes of Lady Gaga, Jelly Roll, Katy Perry and Olivia Rodrigo, the five-hour show featured multiple stories from victims of the Altadena and Palisades fire who had lost their homes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fox News Digital reported in July that six months later, victims in the city\u2019s most impacted neighborhoods still had not received any direct funds raised by the concert.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[\u2026]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fox News<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The catastrophic wildfires begano on January 7, 2025. The FireAid concert was held on January 30, 2025. As of today, victims have not directly received \u201ca dime\u201d\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

$100M in LA wildfire aid is being doled out to fund pet clinics, DEI projects and fungus planting\u2014 but not a dime directly to victims<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

By Jared Downing<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Published Sep. 10, 2025<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[\u2026]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The massive, much-ballyhooed FireAid event<\/a> \u2014 which drew heavy-hitter supporters such as former Veep Kamala Harris and her hubby, Doug Emhoff \u2014 has doled out the dough to 197 charities, many of which are focused on a variety of niche, woke and DEI causes not directly related to helping fire victims.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NY Post<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The catastrophic Hill Country floods began on July 4, 2025\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

On July 27, Strait hosted an intimate donor dinner and benefit concert in Boerne, with local first responders receiving complimentary tickets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn literally 10 days, we put together a fundraiser in Boerne, Texas, and we raised, to date, over $7 million,\u201d Tom Cusick said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Strait and Vaqueros del Mar were joined by William Beckmann, Ray Benson, Wade Bowen, Dean Dillon, Riley Green, Randy Houser, Jamey Johnson, Kyle Park and Hudson Westbrook at the benefit concert.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[\u2026]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve come a long way,\u201d recipient Miles Murayama said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Murayama walked KSAT through his neighborhood in Hunt, Texas, about one week after<\/a> the flood. One month later, he received a check from the funds raised at the benefit concert, and he said his neighborhood looks completely different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt looks like a normal neighborhood,\u201d Murayama said. \u201cIt\u2019s all cleaned up. The streets are cleaned up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe feel very blessed,\u201d Martha Murayama said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe destruction and loss in our community from the recent floods is hard to wrap your head around,\u201d Strait said in a July 11 news release. \u201cOur hearts and prayers are with you all.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

KSAT<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

George Strait\u2019s attitude\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

I\u2019ve been fortunate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014George Strait<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

So have the rest of us\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Graph
Life Expectancy:\u00a0Our World in Data<\/a>, Energy Consumption:\u00a0Bjorn Lomborg, 2020<\/a>\u00a0and CO2<\/sub>
(Wood for Trees<\/a>,\u00a0MacFarling Meure et al., 2006<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\"Silhouette<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Why is this funny? Well, while energy production and energy consumption might not be the same thing, they are kind of related.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121246920,"featured_media":348773,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","_crdt_document":"","advanced_seo_description":"Discover how per capita CO2 emissions plummeted across the U.S. from 2005 to 2023, with Texas and California leading the charge.","jetpack_seo_html_title":"Decreased Per Capita CO2 Emissions: A State-by-State Review","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[691829997,691818128],"class_list":{"0":"post-403488","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"hentry","7":"category-uncategorized","8":"tag-carbon-dioxide-co","9":"tag-energy","11":"fallback-thumbnail"},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/0nothing-to-see-here-move-along.jpg?fit=1366%2C768&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paxLW1-1GXS","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":200886,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=200886","url_meta":{"origin":403488,"position":0},"title":"Why we eat and breathe","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"22\/05\/2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Spring and summer is the time of growth, with blossoms everywhere we look. 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