New York State changed the way it reports greenhouse gas emissions recently to focus on energy use and methane's impact. The state now compares methane emissions to carbon dioxide emissions over 20 years instead of 100. Looking back to 1990, carbon dioxide emissions dropped 15% due to less coal and oil use, but natural gas use went up by 57%. Meanwhile, methane emissions rose by 30% because of more natural gas consumption. Methane accounted for 28% of fossil-fuel emissions in 1990, increasing to 37% in 2015 in New York. Overall, total emissions stayed about the same from 1990 to 2015 despite these changes.