Americans and the rest of the world parking their asses at home during the coronavirus pandemic contributed to an extreme change in daily carbon emissions … but don’t get so geeked out just yet.
The COVID-19 “forced confinement” lowered levels by a whopping 17% in daily carbon emissions. These numbers haven’t been seen since 2006 … according to a team of international scientists which reportedly produced the first analysis to measure the pandemic-driven global drop in CO2. The measurements are from January through April of this year.
In the U.S., California and the state of Washington saw the biggest decline in emissions, produced from burning oil, gas and coal. Good news? For sure. But, the reality is … this CO2 reduction, scientists say, won’t put even the smallest dent on the global climate crisis.
As if 2020 wasn’t bad enough already with COVID-19 and the brief, albeit terrifying, deadly hornets invading North America … this year is reportedly still on track to be one of the five hottest years on record.
The lockdown measures are expected to have a long-term effect that could lead to the biggest annual decrease in emissions since the end of World War II. Even still, the international scientists say these reductions aren’t giving them reason to celebrate.
Such is the enormity of the monumental task the world faces as it comes to terms with climate change.