Climate and Environmental Policy

An analysis by independent research firm Rhodium Group finds U.S. greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels rose 2.4% in 2025 compared with 2024, reversing part of a long‑running decline and signaling that pollution grew faster than the broader economy. Co‑author Ben King estimates the U.S. emitted about 5.9 billion tons of CO₂‑equivalent last year, roughly 139 million tons more than in 2024, driven mainly by a cold winter that boosted building heat demand, surging electricity use from data centers and cryptocurrency mining, and higher natural gas prices that pushed utilities back toward coal—resulting in a 13% jump in coal‑fired generation. At the same time, solar output soared 34%, surpassing hydropower and helping zero‑carbon sources reach 42% of U.S. electricity, underscoring that renewables remain cost‑competitive even as the Trump administration moves to end federal subsidies and roll back environmental rules. Rhodium’s team says most Trump‑era policy rollbacks were too new to materially affect 2025, but updated projections now suggest U.S. emissions cuts expected by 2035 will be about one‑third smaller than pre‑Trump forecasts if current directions hold. The findings sharpen debates in Washington and in state legislatures over how data‑center growth, fuel prices, and federal policy shifts are reshaping the country’s path toward its stated climate targets.