Record reduction in greenhouse gas emissions during Coronavirus Pandemic

The Coronavirus Pandemic has led to drastic changes in lifestyles around the world and reduced the mobility of people compared to the past.

Millions or billions of people are now spending more time indoors and cars are running less on the roads, planes have been grounded and energy use has dropped in a large extend.

So it’s not surprising that as a result we have the opportunity to breathe in somewhat clean air.

A study published in the journal Nature Climate Change examined the extent to which the outbreak has had a global impact on toxic carbon dioxide emissions.

Using government policies and activity data from around the world, it is estimated that by the end of April 2020, the rate of toxic gas emissions has decreased by 17% compared to the same period in 2019.

Dr. Pep Canadell, head of the Global Carbon Project and part of the research team, said the reduction could be equivalent to 18.7 million tonnes of carbon dioxide.

The study collected energy, activity and policy data from 69 countries, including China, the United States, Europe and India.

The research team then examined the impact of measures taken on the coronavirus Pandemic, such as lockdowns or other less carbon emissions policies.

The analysis also included transportation and traffic data from around the world, and the results showed that the lack of vehicles actually showed the biggest reduction in carbon dioxide emissions, at 36 percent or 8.3 tons per day.

The reduction in greenhouse gas emissions is close to the Paris climate accord targets, but researchers say the changes will be temporary because no fundamental changes will be made to the economy, transport or energy system after the pandemic will end.

“Unless we all commit to staying at home for the next decade, achieving the Paris climate agreement goals will not be possible,” he said.

Scientists say the reduction in emissions is significant, but it also poses a challenge to achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement. We need changes in the system, such as green energy and electric vehicles, to temporarily enforce sanctions. no.

It is pertinent to mention here that the Paris accord is an agreement signed in 2016, within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, dealing with greenhouse-gas-emissions mitigation, adaptation, and finance.

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