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The Environment & COVID-19 COVID-19 and CO 2 Emissions Did…
The Environment & COVID-19
COVID-19 and CO2 Emissions
Did the global pandemic have an impact on global emissions in 2020?
The global pandemic changed the lives of people in many ways that tended to reduce emissions. For example, as news of the spread of this deadly virus, when people were most worried, many chose not leave home for things other than necessities and many worked from home. As governments reacted, many businesses were forced to shut down, so much so that less pollution was produced. Fewer and fewer automobiles, trucks, and planes were out there burning fossil fuels (Figure 9.A). As many in the workforce was laid off or put on furlough, reduced incomes led to reduced activity and purchasing, which in turn also reduced emissions.
Air and motor-vehicle travel almost came to a halt during the early months of the pandemic as governments tried to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Airports like this one in Florida were almost empty, with far fewer flights offered, and highways like this one in California had little traffic.
Changes in Emissions for 2020
When countries had their activities reduced the most, such as during lockdowns, emissions declined an average of about 25%. That may sound like a lot, however, that was just during a nation’s peak in reduced activity. If we look at the whole year of 2020, reduction in emissions for different nations ranged from around 1% to 13%, with a worldwide average reduction of around 7% relative to 2019 levels (Figure 9.B).
In 2020, countries around the world saw a drop in CO2 emissions owing to COVID-19 restrictions. April 17, 2020, saw one of the greatest daily drops for the whole year, 17.3%.
Data from: Global Carbon Project. https://www.icos-cp.eu/gcp-covid19.
This brings up an interesting point about the future of global warming. A 7% reduction is like the level the United Nations Environment Program estimates we will need to meet each year to keep the Earth’s warming to only 1.5 °C. Is it realistic to expect that nations will regularly reduce activity and consumption to the degree we saw during the COVID-19 pandemic? Probably not. That is why many environmentalists promote the “wedge” principal. People can reduce their consumption and activity to some degree, but this will only be one part of leading us to a sustainable future.
is is possible that a 7% worldwide reduction in emissions represents a “large” impact? Why or why not?
How might a person can contributed to reduced emissions during the pandemic?
In what sectors of the economy where there was the greatest reduction in emissions during the pandemic? Explain the answer.
