FRACK, BABY, FRACK: Shale Gas Drags US Energy Emissions to 25-Year Low.

The United States has emitted less carbon through June of this year than at any other point in the past 25 years. . . .

The EIA wants to credit the growth of renewables like wind and solar for part of this historic decline in energy-related emissions, and while they undoubtedly played a part, it was a minor one. Let’s keep in mind that renewable energy sources accounted for less than 11 percent of our energy consumption in June of this year, a far cry from fossil fuels, which were responsible for more than 80 percent of our overall consumption.

No, it was coal’s sharp decline—a drop of 18 percent in the first half of this year as compared to 2015—that really moved the needle on America’s energy emissions. And let’s not forget that Old King Coal isn’t being dethroned by onerous regulations, but rather by market forces. More specifically, coal’s demise has been precipitated by the sudden rise in domestic natural gas production that has led to an oversupply (and, as a result bargain prices). This, of course, comes to us courtesy of the great shale revolution.

The next time you hear an environmentalist bemoaning the devilish ways of American frackers, remind them that shale gas is one of the very few climate change solutions that doesn’t involve donning an economic hair shirt.

To a lot of environmentalists, that’s a bug, not a feature.