State of the Earth

A data-driven portrait of America’s energy, climate, and environment

Published by USAFacts

April 15, 2020

Collaborating with Earth Day Network

in honor of Earth Day’s 50th Anniversary

Science and facts are the essential building blocks of environmental activism.

Earth Day Network is working in collaboration with the nonpartisan civic initiative, USAFacts, to share and disseminate USAFacts’ newly published State of the Earth special report.

Using data sourced from the Environmental Protection Agency, FEMA, the US National Park Service, USDA Forest Service Forest/Wildlife, the Energy Information Administration, and other government entities, the State of the Earth report delivers to all citizens information that is publicly available but rarely seen, analysed and understood.

Join with us as we explore this wealth of public data, shining a light on where we are as a nation and a planet, and creating an informed path forward.

Read the Report

Read below to explore a quick preview of USAFacts' State of the Earth data, and make sure to check out the full report on their website

Visit USAFacts.org

The science is clear. Average global temperatures have been rising, and will continue to rise unless we act now to address the human activities that are causing this increase.

Americans’ carbon footprints remain higher than most of the developed world. But we are improving - in 1990 the average American emitted more than 20 tons of CO2 annually.

Since 1980, the proportion of renewable energy as a total of all U.S. energy consumption has doubled. While the increase is promising, we still have a long way to go to achieve a low-carbon future.

Read the full report

Between 1895 and 2019, the average temperature in 50% of US counties rose more than 2.7°F (1.5°C), a key threshold of climate warming identified by NASA. In six states —North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Delaware, and New Jersey— the average temperature in all counties rose more than 2.7°F.

State and local governments spent $63.8 billion on the environment and natural resources in 2017, nearly $30 billion less than the peak expenditures in 2009.

ABOUT OUR PARTNER

USAFacts is a not-for-profit, nonpartisan civic initiative providing the most comprehensive and understandable single source of government data. USAFacts bring together data from over 70 government agencies to provide an understandable and approachable view of US spending, revenue, demographics, and policy outcomes — all aimed at grounding public debate in facts. It produces topical content throughout the year and has published annual reports and 10-Ks on the nation. Follow on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @USAFacts and check out the State of the Earth report here