HOUSTON, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) said Thursday it estimates U.S. energy-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions will slightly increase this year.

In its latest Short-Term Energy Outlook report, the agency said energy-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in the United States declined by 14 percent from 2005 to 2017, but will rise 1.8 percent in 2018, then remain virtually unchanged in 2019.

In 2019, U.S. energy-related CO2 emissions will be about 13 percent lower than the 2005 level, it said.

The agency said that from 2005 to 2017, coal-related CO2 emissions declined by 39 percent, while petroleum-related CO2 emissions by 11 percent. Natural gas-related emissions, however, increased by 24 percent over that period.

The agency also listed the major underlying energy consumption trends that resulted in these changes.

It said the main reason was that more electricity has been generated from natural gas than from other fossil fuels. Natural gas is a less carbon-intensive fuel than either coal or petroleum.

EIA estimates that global energy-related CO2 emissions rose 21 percent between 2005 and 2017 at an annual growth rate of 1.6 percent. In the EIA' s latest International Energy Outlook report, it said the rate is projected to slow to 1 percent in 2018 and remain essentially flat in 2019.