Environment & Climate

U.N. report finds U.S. alone saw sharp rise in planet-warming pollution

NPR reports that a new U.N. report says U.S. emissions grew last year, driven by electricity demand and fossil fuel policies.

Updated Oct 21, 2026 · 06:24 UTC1 reports

The short version

NPR reports that a U.N. report finds the U.S. was the only major economy where planet-warming pollution rose dramatically last year.[NPR]
The report attributes U.S. emissions growth to higher electricity demand and Trump administration policies that support fossil fuels, including coal plant operations and rolled-back vehicle efficiency standards.[NPR]
The U.S. government says it does not endorse the report's analysis or conclusions and has not provided comments on it.[NPR]

According to a U.N. report, the U.S. was the only major economy where planet-warming pollution increased dramatically last year.[NPR]
The report finds the U.S. was tied with Russia as the G20 countries with the most per capita emissions of carbon dioxide and other gases last year.[NPR]
The report states U.S. emissions grew because of increased electricity demand and Trump administration policies that support fossil fuel burning.[NPR]
The Trump administration has ordered coal-fired power plants to stay open longer than planned, rolled back vehicle fuel-efficiency standards, and ended tax credits for solar and wind projects.[NPR]
Inger Andersen, executive director of the U.N. Environment Programme, says U.S. policies have made the country an outlier in escalating greenhouse gas emissions.[NPR]
The new report includes a U.S. government statement that it does not endorse or agree with the report's analysis or conclusions and has not provided comments on it.[NPR]

The U.S. government disputes the report's analysis and conclusions, and no detailed rebuttal is included in the reporting.[NPR]
The causal link between specific policies and emissions growth is the report's own assessment, not an independently measured breakdown in the reporting.[NPR]

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.