In observance of President's Day, we are closed on Monday, February 19, 2024.

One of the positive things that has happened during the Covid pandemic is that lockdowns have significantly reduced the amount of carbon emissions.

One of the positive things that has happened during the Covid pandemic is that lockdowns have significantly reduced the amount of carbon emissions.

CO2 is by far the most problematic pollutant when it comes to climate change, but gaining some insight into where the CO2 comes from and where it has gone down could provide some useful insights for further environmental policies.

EcoWatch published these details in a recent article.

“Industrial activity, which accounted for 22% of the global total, was down by 30% in some countries due to strict lockdown measures.

The U.S. and the European Union saw the most pronounced emissions reduction, down 12% and 11% respectively. China, however, saw its emissions drop just 1.7% as the country powered up its economic recovery.”

That’s a serious decline in the most industrialized countries on earth, and a welcome impact after scientists recorded peak CO2 emissions in 2017. 

Now, there’s no doubt that once lockdowns come to an end, this won’t be a lasting trend.

But it is entirely possible that a complete rethinking of work and travel patterns could see a complete reversal.

More people working from home and realizing that they can enjoy a local vacation might put a large enough dent in travel-related CO2 emissions. 


Chris is one of GreenCitizen’s writers who has been a long-time advocate of individual responsibility when it comes to the environment. He shares GreenCitizen's passion for making the world a better place every day of the year.

Subscribe to
our newsletter