What are the sources of Iowa's Greenhouse Gas Emissions? 

In late December, 2025, The Iowa Department of Natural Resources released the "2024 Iowa Statewide Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory Report".  The report showed those emissions decreased 2.26% since 2023.  In summary, the changes in Iowa’s greenhouse gas emissions come from:

• Reduced emissions from power plants, due to decreased generation of electricity from fossil fuels (4.23% decrease)
• A decrease in emissions from residential, commercial, and industrial fuel use (10.91% decrease)
• An increase in emissions from the agriculture sector, due to decreases in enteric fermentation, manure management, and agriculture soil management (3.48% increase).  This increase was driven by an increase in amount of grain produced.
• An increase in emissions from vehicles, due to a decrease in miles driven (1.79% increase)
• An increase in emissions from industrial processes (1.46% increase)
• An increase in the emissions from waste (.65% increase)
• An increase in the emissions from natural gas transmission and distribution (.09% increase)

Iowa largest emissions come from the agriculture sector - 31% of Iowa's greenhouse gases emissions are from agriculture

Of the greenhouse gases emitted in Iowa,

• 31% come from the agriculture sector – livestock and crop production, enteric fermentation from cattle and other ruminant animals, and manure management
• 25% are from residential, commercial, and industrial fossil fuel use
• 16% from power plants
• 19% from transportation
• 6% from industrial processes
• 2% from waste production, such as landfills and wastewater treatment plants
• 1% are emitted during the transmission and distribution of natural gas

In order to reduce the effects of climate change, the emissions of greenhouse gases need to decline significantly. 

Source

“2024 Iowa Statewide Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory Report”, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, December 23, 2025