While many people are returning to their cars, there are some lockdown changes that could lead to longer-term emissions reductions.įirstly, people now realise it is possible to work from home and may want to continue doing so in the future. How, and how much, we choose to travel will determine our greenhouse gas emissions. Land transport is more within our control in New Zealand. How changes brought on by coronavirus could help tackle climate change For how long depends on the ability of other countries to effectively manage the virus or the availability of a vaccine. There is significant uncertainty about all of the changes prompted by the pandemic lockdown, but international air travel is predicted to remain down in the short to medium term as the risk of inter-country transfer of COVID-19 remains high. But as the lockdown lifted, these improvements seemed to be short term, with traffic volumes and the associated pollution now back at pre-COVID-19 levels. In New Zealand, the biggest reduction in emissions came from people not travelling as much, or at all. What we do now could change Earth's trajectory The long-term impact of the pandemic on climate change depends on the actions governments take as economies recover – they will influence the path of global carbon dioxide emissions for decades.Ĭoronavirus is a 'sliding doors' moment. The same study estimated the pandemic could reduce global emissions by between 4% (if the world returns to pre-pandemic conditions mid-year) and 7% (if restrictions remain in place until the end of 2020).īut even a 7% drop would mean emissions for 2020 will roughly be the same as in 2011. Worldwide, daily emissions of carbon dioxide had dropped by 17% by early April (compared with 2019 levels) and just under half of the reduction came from changes in land transport.
The lockdown has also meant less travel by road, which has resulted in measurably lower vehicle emissions and cleaner air in New Zealand. An ongoing reduction in air travel would lead to lower greenhouse gas emissions.
Globally, air travel accounts for around 12% of the transport sector’s greenhouse gas emissions and this was predicted to rise. The first is a reduction in air travel and associated emissions.
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