Abstract
The production and burning of fossil fuels is the primary contributor to CO 2 emissions for the U.S. We assess the impact of producing coal, crude oil, and natural gas on the environment and economic well-being by analyzing state-level data from 2001 to 2015. Our findings show that coal production has led to more CO 2 emissions and no significant benefit to economic well-being. Crude oil production has a non-significant impact on CO 2 emissions but is related to a lower poverty rate, a higher median household income, and a higher employment rate. Natural gas withdrawals have a positive impact on median household income. We discuss these findings in the context of current U.S. energy policies and then provide directions for future research.
Original language | American English |
---|---|
Journal | Society & Natural Resources |
Volume | 32 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jan 1 2019 |
Keywords
- CO2 emissions
- economic well-being
- fossil fuels
- natural resources-environmental sociology