This Earth Day, it’s important to recognize the advancements in energy that are contributing to a cleaner environment.

Consider this: carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in the U.S. are down while electricity demand has increased since 2019.

Across the PJM Interconnection, with includes Pennsylvania, 12 other states and the District of Columbia, power sector emissions have declined by roughly 50% since 2005 – driven largely by the transition to natural gas-fired power.

This is real climate progress made possible by natural gas.

Across shale-rich Pennsylvania and Appalachia, natural gas has helped drive a major shift in the power sector and significantly reduce CO2 emissions. Natural gas, which is abundant in a large swath of Northeast and Southwest Pennsylvania, is one of the most effective solutions for reducing CO2 emissions while providing baseload power to the grid.

Since the rise of the shale revolution in Pennsylvania, power sector emissions have significantly declined, even as energy demand has remained steady. Natural gas-fired plants emit negligible sulfur dioxide and substantially reduced particulate matter. And with over 50% of American households relying on natural gas for power, emissions have dropped precipitously.

The Appalachia region is also a leader in methane emissions reductions.

According to a 2025 study, the Appalachian Basin maintains the lowest methane emissions intensity of any major U.S. gas and oil basin, with a methane loss rate of 0.52% from the full natural gas supply chain.

Building on this progress is a priority for the U.S. natural gas and oil industry, which continues to implement best practices and technological advancements to reduce emissions in every segment of the industry.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, methane emissions declined 42% across U.S. onshore production regions between 2015 and 2023, underscoring the industry’s commitment to reducing emissions.

The Environmental Partnership, a natural gas and oil industry-led coalition whose members represent nearly 65% of U.S. onshore oil and gas production, plays an instrumental role in supporting companies in their efforts to improve the industry’s environmental performance, including reducing methane emissions across the supply chain.

Participating companies have also made significant progress towards managing flare volumes, reducing their reported flare volumes by more than 75% since 2019, even as natural gas and oil production has increased.

Every day, the U.S. natural gas and oil industry produces and delivers energy more safely and efficiently than ever before. Reducing emissions remains a complex puzzle with many pieces – there’s no “one size fits all” solution.

Natural gas continues to be one of the most effective tools for lowering emissions without sacrificing reliability and affordability.

In Pennsylvania, natural gas has contributed to emissions reductions in the power sector as well as meaningful economic and job growth, including billions of dollars for the state’s economy and over $2.88 billion in impact fee funds for environmental programs and community projects.

As we celebrate Earth Day and advance climate solutions, we should build on success stories like this right here at home.

Stephanie Catarino Wissman is the executive director of the American Petroleum Institute Pennsylvania based in Harrisburg.