By Sarah Miller, GPA Midstream President & CEO

Few outside our industry realize that the real hero of America’s decarbonization story is neither electric vehicles nor a distant policy edict — it’s natural gas, processed and moved through midstream pipelines and infrastructure. A recent article by Roger Pielke Jr. shows the U.S. is decoupling carbon emissions from GDP growth, and it’s a tale every GPA Midstream and GPSA member should own.

In his Substack article, Pielke posted the chart below, which he called “…one of the most amazing graphs in all of climate policy.”

The chart, using data published by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, U.S. Energy Information Administration, and the Energy Institute, shows the ratio of carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels to U.S. gross domestic product in inflation-adjusted dollars.

Pielke’s full analysis (linked above) is worth reading. I’d like to highlight a few points.

First, the U.S. is decarbonizing the economy despite frequent election-driven changes to energy and climate policies. In other words, progress in this metric over the past three decades is not the result of consistent application of a government initiative.

Second, historically, carbon emissions were linked to economic growth. Beginning in the mid-2000s, the U.S. severed that link. U.S. GDP has grown while emissions have fallen.

Third, America decarbonizing the economy is primarily due to replacing coal with natural gas to produce energy. The significant buildout of renewable sources like solar and wind are also part of the story, but the predominant cause of the U.S. decoupling carbon emissions from economic growth is natural gas.

Data published by the Environmental Protection Agency show that U.S. greenhouse gas emissions have declined since 1990 even as the nation produced more energy than ever before. While emissions dropped and energy production climbed, U.S. GDP went from $5.9 trillion in 1990 to an estimated $29.3 trillion in 2025.

This story is an important one for midstream professionals to internalize and discuss with people outside the industry. As this data makes clear, the midstream industry has already powered America’s most significant decarbonization effort.

Our industry has a long tradition of invisibility, but in an era of presumed “transition” away from oil and gas, invisibility is a luxury we can no longer afford.. Let’s step forward — at conferences, in conversations with policymakers, even at the dinner table — and share how our pipelines, plants, and people are delivering cleaner, affordable, reliable energy. The good news story about natural gas and the midstream industry needs to be told, and who better to tell it than us?

In her monthly "Midstream Matters" column, GPA Midstream President & CEO Sarah Miller writes about strategic midstream issues.