The Environmental Protection Agency’s draft 2019 greenhouse gas inventory (GHGI) shows that greenhouse gas emissions dropped significantly from 2005 to 2017, even as U.S. natural gas production reached record highs.

The draft GHGI data shows total U.S. CO2 decreased approximately 14%, while methane emissions have fallen more than 4% since 2005. It is noteworthy that U.S. natural gas production has increased more than 51 percent during the same period, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).

The GHGI data also show that electric power sector CO2 emissions continue to decline, thanks to the increased use of natural gas in electricity generation.  Electric power sector CO2 emissions have been reduced 4.8% since 1990, 27.8% since 2005 and 4.3% since 2016, according to the GHGI.