Emissions from a Salt Lake City area refinery during a hazy inversion in December 2023. Utah's carbon dioxide emissions, which cause climate change, average out to about 18 tons per person per year. The global average is below 5 tons.
All three West Coast states come in near the bottom of the list for per capita carbon emissions. Washington is 44th with 9.45 tons. Oregon is 45th with 9.09 tons, and California is 48th with 8.3 tons of carbon dioxide per person annually. Utah produces all three of the major fossil fuels: petroleum, natural gas and coal. It also consumes all three in roughly equal amounts, with petroleum fueling cars and trucks, natural gas heating buildings and fueling industry, and coal and natural gas powering electricity.
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