Quarantine measures taken to combat the spread of coronavirus have reduced global carbon dioxide emissions by 17% from their usual level. This is evidenced by the latest study conducted at the University of East Anglia (University of East Anglia).
According to scientists, this level of emissions was last observed in 2006, and they fell by 80% due to a decrease in the number of trips by cars and a slowdown in industrial growth due to the closure of cities and countries.
An expert group reviewed government quarantine policies in 69 countries, accounting for 97% of global CO₂ emissions, at the peak of quarantine. The estimated total change in emissions from the pandemic is up to 1,048 million tons of carbon dioxide by the end of April.
The biggest changes occurred in China, which reduced emissions by 242 million tons, in the USA - by 207 million tons, in Europe - by 123 million tons and in India - by 98 million tons.
It is assumed that the impact of quarantine measures on annual emissions in 2020 will be from 4 to 7% compared with 2019, depending on the duration of the “lockdown” and the degree of economic recovery.
The study is published in the journal Nature Climate Change.
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