U.S. transportation emissions by state 1980-2022

Texas and California have consistently been the two biggest transportation-related carbon polluters in the U.S. In 2022, they emitted 219 and 183 million metric tons of carbon dioxide (MtCO₂), respectively. Combined, these two states – the most populous in the U.S. – account for almost a quarter of U.S. transportation CO₂ emissions.

Changes in U.S. state transportation emissions

As of 2022, 30 U.S. states had observed overall transportation-related emission reductions when compared to 2005 levels. The state with the largest emissions reductions during this period was New Jersey, at 37 percent. In contrast, Texas’ transportation emissions grew by more than 13 percent over this timespan.

Transportation’s share of emissions

In 2022, transportation accounted for at least 50 percent of total energy-related CO₂ emissions in nine U.S. states. In California, this figure stood at 56. Meanwhile, transportation accounted for 33 percent of energy-related CO₂ emissions in Texas, despite it being the biggest transportation-related polluter in the U.S.

Transportation-related carbon dioxide emissions in the United States from 1980 to 2022, by select state (in million metric tons of carbon dioxide)

Characteristic	Texas	California	Florida	New York	Illinois	Pennsylvania	Ohio	Georgia	New Jersey	Louisiana
2022	219.8	183.9	118.3	74.9	59.8	56.4	58.1	59.4	43.6	47.3
2021	213	179.8	113.8	69.1	59.7	56.3	58.3	58.2	42.3	44.3
2020	190.7	159.1	95.6	59.7	53.9	52	54.4	55.5	38.7	38.6
2019	225.2	207.7	118.4	79.4	67.2	61.1	60	63.3	48.3	40
2018	218.2	207.6	120.3	81.4	69.2	60.2	60.5	63.6	51.7	37.6
2017	210.8	206.4	114.4	80.9	69	60.2	59.9	65.4	49.7	40.7
2016	208.5	200.6	111.7	80.1	68.5	59.6	59.5	61.7	52.1	37.5
2015	203.1	193.5	109.5	77.1	68.8	60.7	60	64.6	49.9	36.2
2014	199.3	188.7	105.7	78.8	66.1	62.3	59.9	61.4	50	35.7
2013	197.8	187.8	104.2	74.7	64.4	62.4	58.5	63.6	51.1	37.5
2012	183.6	188.9	103	74.1	63.6	62.9	58	62.3	51.2	38.8
2011	183.8	192.8	105.1	75.9	66	63.8	60	66.7	53.7	42.9
2010	184	200.8	106.9	81.2	66.7	64.2	61.1	68.1	53.5	42
2009	186.6	213.4	97.3	70.9	66.9	64.9	63	64	61.1	46.5
2008	194.9	218.9	103.6	72.9	68.4	66	67.6	60	72.4	47.3
2007	203.3	235.7	114.5	73.8	72.8	71.3	72	66.3	71.9	50.4
2006	202	233.5	116.2	74.5	73	72.1	71.7	68.1	68.6	54.9
2005	194.4	228.8	113.5	73.4	76.6	72.5	70.9	69	69.2	50.9
2004	193.6	223.8	111.1	75.3	69.2	71.4	71.6	66.4	64.7	53.7
2003	192.3	215.5	100.9	74.1	66	70.1	70.3	64.1	62.8	54.9
2002	197.4	223.4	101.3	68.6	62.5	70.6	69.1	61.5	63.8	54.9
2001	190.8	211.5	99	67	64.6	70.3	68.5	61.4	63	53.5
2000	183.6	216.4	100.9	67.4	67.2	70.7	69	61.8	65.1	61.2
1999	178.4	204.3	94.6	66.5	65	68.1	66.6	61.3	60.6	55.2
1998	179.9	200	91.9	66.2	58.8	67.5	64.8	59.3	60.7	55.3
1997	170.9	199.2	90.4	65.6	57.7	65.4	64	57.3	59.8	56.5
1996	166.5	204.4	87.2	65.7	57.3	62.6	62.2	59.6	59.1	59.2
1995	153.1	200.2	86.3	62.5	55.3	62.9	59.1	56.2	61	53.9
1994	155.2	196	84.1	60.6	53.7	62.1	58	53.6	60	53.8
1993	151.6	187.7	78.6	61.7	55.6	61.8	57.4	52.9	54.9	51.2
1992	152.8	191.7	79.8	60.8	53.7	60.4	55.3	47.8	58	51.5
1991	149.2	192.1	77.1	62.3	52.8	59.2	55.8	47.4	57.7	51.3
1990	152.2	202.5	81.3	63.9	54.9	59.3	56.4	48.6	56.9	48.8
1989	151.9	201.2	81.4	60	55.7	57.7	57.9	48	59	49.1
1988	151.4	195	80.7	59.8	54.7	61.2	57.6	49.5	57.4	49
1987	143.7	184.2	76.2	62.7	51.1	59	57	47.2	60.1	46
1986	146.9	174.9	71.9	59.3	50.6	55.7	55.4	44.3	59.1	46.7
1985	143.4	169	68.2	58.2	51.2	53.6	53.6	42.1	57	41.4
1984	138.4	169.7	65.9	49.4	49.6	53.1	52.9	41.6	57	42.2
1983	132.8	161.1	67	54.2	55.6	52.1	52.1	40	54.7	42.4
1982	133.4	159.5	66.9	59.9	54	51.3	52.1	38.6	51.2	40.7
1981	129.5	168.1	68.2	66.9	55.4	54.6	54.2	38.6	44	46.4
1980	127.8	169.5	68	71.5	58	57.7	55.9	39.1	40.6	45.4