PORTLAND, Maine — Maine's greenhouse gas emissions were 25% lower in 2019 than they were in 1990, environmental officials in the state said.
The Maine Department of Environmental Protection said the emissions reduction surpassed the state's goal of cutting emissions 10% from 1990. The department issued a report on Thursday that detailed progress toward the state's greenhouse gas emission reduction goals.
More than 90% of gross greenhouse gas emissions in the state are from energy consumption, the report said. Annual emissions in the energy source category have been reduced by 38% since the high point of 2002.
The report also stated that emissions of carbon dioxide from the combustion of fossil fuels accounted for 60% of the state's greenhouse gas emissions in 2019. It said that while the state continues to rely on petroleum to meet energy demands, carbon dioxide emissions are declining “in large part because of the use of lower carbon fuels, increased efficiencies, and increased use of renewable sources of energy.”