# The Clean Power Plan’s enormous climate benefits – in one graphic

*Published:* 2017-10-10
*Author:* Ilissa Ocko

In addition to the vital [public health benefits](https://19january2017snapshot.epa.gov/cleanpowerplan/fact-sheet-clean-power-plan-numbers_.html) it offers, the [Clean Power Plan](https://www.edf.org/climate/a-new-federal-clean-power-plan?_ga=2.129042703.2069876051.1507579397-1095860618.1505173443) is the nation’s most significant action to date to address climate change’s [number one culprit](https://climate.nasa.gov/causes/) – heat-trapping carbon dioxide emissions.

Now, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt is [trying to revoke](https://blogs.edf.org/climate411/2017/10/06/five-takeaways-from-scott-pruitts-reported-proposal-to-revoke-the-clean-power-plan/) the Clean Power Plan. Here’s a look at the enormous benefits we could lose.

When the Clean Power Plan is fully in place by 2030, the avoided annual carbon dioxide emissions relative to business-as-usual ([350 million metric tons](https://www.eia.gov/outlooks/aeo/pdf/0383(2017).pdf)) are [equivalent to preventing](https://www.epa.gov/energy/greenhouse-gas-equivalencies-calculator):

- **40 billion** gallons of gasoline consumed, or
- **380 billion** pounds of coal burned, or
- **810 million** barrels of oil consumed, or
- **850 billion** miles driven by an average car.

In order to get the same climate benefits that the Clean Power Plan would deliver, we would need to:

- Replace **12 billion** incandescent light bulbs with LEDs, or
- Take **75 million** cars off the road
- 

[![](https://blogs.edf.org/climate411/wp-content/blogs.dir/7/files/2017/10/CPPbenefits_v4b.jpg)](https://blogs.edf.org/climate411/wp-content/blogs.dir/7/files/2017/10/CPPbenefits_v4b.jpg)*Click to enlarge*[ ](https://blogs.edf.org/climate411/wp-content/blogs.dir/7/files/2017/10/Clean-Power-Plan-benefits.jpg)