One Graph Says It All -- Please Don't Read The Story -- Just Look At The Graph

Updates

Later, 1:18 pm: US CO2 emissions could drop to levels seen in 1990 by the end of 2012.

The bottom line is that America’s carbon emissions may drop back close to 1990 levels this year. That result would have been thought impossible, even at the end of 2011.

But the shale gas revolution makes a reality many things recently thought impossible.  It was thought impossible to slash carbon US carbon emissions back to 1990 levels by 2012.  It was thought impossible to massively, quickly cut carbon emissions and, at the same time, have lower energy bills.

Shale gas production has slashed carbon emissions and saved consumers more than $100 billion per year.  Truly astonishing!

It looks like the one country that did not sign the Kyoto Protocol will meet or exceed the goals.

• agreed to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 5.2% on average for the period 2008-2012, relative to their annual emissions in a base year, usually 1990
• the benchmark 1990 emission levels accepted by the Conference of the Parties ... were the values of "global warming potential" calculated for the IPCC Second Assessment Report

Original Post

Link here to a very neat graph.

This graph should replace all the Farrah Fawcett posters of the 1970's in the dorms of today's college students.

Yeah, like that will happen.