Higher US Gas Prices Hurt Pockets, Make Small Dent in Emissions
Sales, miles driven tumble as people begin to change their habits
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Sales, miles driven tumble as people begin to change their habits
A 6% drop in driving roughly translates to only a 1% drop in overall U.S. carbon emissions.
President Biden's climate agenda has been stymied by Congress and the Supreme Court. But one thing the president doesn't like is actually causing emissions of heat-trapping gases to drop: high gas prices. Even as gas prices finally slip below $5 a gallon, many people are cutting back on driving just a bit. But not everyone can. Federal data shows that June gas sales are 5% below the same time in 2019 and spring miles driven are down 6%. Experts say high gas prices hurt people's pocketbooks and Biden politically but only nibble at the climate problem.
High gasoline prices are a "double-edged sword" for the president because they hurt him politically even though they lead to fewer trips to the gas pump and lower emissions.
President Biden's climate agenda has been stymied by Congress and the Supreme Court