Post by account_disabled on Mar 4, 2024 8:36:42 GMT
Carbon emissions 2021: Goodbye to the reductions that had been achieved
After a record drop in carbon emissions in 2020 , global CO2 emissions have rebounded almost to pre-pandemic levels, a sign that a “return to normal” is not enough to stop the carbon crisis. carbon emissions 2021.
According to Fast Company , when the world shut down in 2020, carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel use were reduced that year by two billion metric tons, the equivalent of removing 500 million cars from the roads of America. everyone.
But as we reopen, with people returning to offices and even flying again, all that activity has caused global emissions to rise again, mostly reversing that 2020 decline.
The experts saw it coming
In 2020, planes were parked, industries Chile Mobile Number List were closed and travel was reduced. But society didn't substitute any of those things for the world's reopening, they were just turned back on once vaccines became available.
Rob Jackson, professor of Earth Sciences at Stanford University and president of the Global Carbon Project, an international think tank that tracks carbon emissions, shares:
When the same polluting infrastructures come back online, they continue to emit greenhouse gases into the atmosphere… When the global economy returns to normal – at least emissions return to normal – that is what we saw in 2021.
Rob Jackson, professor of Earth Sciences at Stanford University and president of the Global Carbon Project.
Overall, global CO2 emissions are projected to increase by 4.9% compared to 2020, totaling almost 36.4 billion tonnes of 2021 carbon emissions.
Carbon emissions 2021: Goodbye to the reductions that had been achieved
Carbon emissions 2021
Spikes are common after any global crisis that halts economic activity; This rebound of 4.9% is similar to that of emissions that followed the global financial crisis of 2008.
Countries also experienced different rebounds. In the US and across Europe, fossil carbon emissions rose 8%, compared to a 10% drop in 2020.
Elsewhere, the rebound in emissions was so high that 2021 carbon emissions eclipsed 2019 levels. In India, CO2 emissions rose almost 13% in 2021, to just above their levels. of 2019 emissions.
In China, fossil emissions increased by about 4% compared to 2020, and 6% more than in 2019, in part because that country's response to COVID-19 came earlier than much of the rest of the world; Experts have already seen that the country's emissions began to rebound in 2020.
Carbon emissions 2021
Climate experts hoped the COVID economy recovery packages would channel money into environmental solutions to change the trajectory of our emissions-laden future. But ultimately, that hasn't turned out to be true.
What disheartens me most is the lack of stimulus funding around the world that has so far gone towards green energy and technology.
Rob Jackson, professor of Earth Sciences at Stanford University and president of the Global Carbon Project.
The United States is lagging behind other countries when it comes to COVID stimulus funding, with the Build Back Better plan seemingly off the table in Congress.
But the rest of the world continues to allocate most of its stimulus money to “brown,” or fossil fuel-based, industry, as opposed to green industry. “Around the world we have encouraged business as usual instead of change ,” says Jackson.
There is some good news
The renewable energy sector grew by 10% globally in 2020, which will have lasting effects. The Global Methane Commitment, announced at COP26 to dramatically reduce emissions of this powerful greenhouse gas, could contribute to lower emissions.
Carbon emissions 2021: Goodbye to the reductions that had been achieved
The Global Coal Commitment could also be good news for the climate, but Jackson adds that the change in language from “phasing out” to “phasing out” was disappointing, and “it remains to be seen what real changes are produced by it . ”
Coal use is something Jackson plans to pay special attention to in the coming years. Experts thought that global coal use peaked in 2013, and has been declining since then. But COVID recovery plans helped coal use jump back to just below that peak.
Coal was the only fossil fuel where we thought we had seen the permanent global peak six or seven years ago, and now we could surpass that peak next year… That would be really bad news.
Rob Jackson, professor of Earth Sciences at Stanford University and president of the Global Carbon Project.
Looking ahead to 2022, Jackson worries that emissions from fossil fuels will rise even further, especially if coal use increases and transportation returns to pre-pandemic levels. “If the global economy roars back,” he says, “we could see a new world record for fossil carbon emissions next year.
After a record drop in carbon emissions in 2020 , global CO2 emissions have rebounded almost to pre-pandemic levels, a sign that a “return to normal” is not enough to stop the carbon crisis. carbon emissions 2021.
According to Fast Company , when the world shut down in 2020, carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel use were reduced that year by two billion metric tons, the equivalent of removing 500 million cars from the roads of America. everyone.
But as we reopen, with people returning to offices and even flying again, all that activity has caused global emissions to rise again, mostly reversing that 2020 decline.
The experts saw it coming
In 2020, planes were parked, industries Chile Mobile Number List were closed and travel was reduced. But society didn't substitute any of those things for the world's reopening, they were just turned back on once vaccines became available.
Rob Jackson, professor of Earth Sciences at Stanford University and president of the Global Carbon Project, an international think tank that tracks carbon emissions, shares:
When the same polluting infrastructures come back online, they continue to emit greenhouse gases into the atmosphere… When the global economy returns to normal – at least emissions return to normal – that is what we saw in 2021.
Rob Jackson, professor of Earth Sciences at Stanford University and president of the Global Carbon Project.
Overall, global CO2 emissions are projected to increase by 4.9% compared to 2020, totaling almost 36.4 billion tonnes of 2021 carbon emissions.
Carbon emissions 2021: Goodbye to the reductions that had been achieved
Carbon emissions 2021
Spikes are common after any global crisis that halts economic activity; This rebound of 4.9% is similar to that of emissions that followed the global financial crisis of 2008.
Countries also experienced different rebounds. In the US and across Europe, fossil carbon emissions rose 8%, compared to a 10% drop in 2020.
Elsewhere, the rebound in emissions was so high that 2021 carbon emissions eclipsed 2019 levels. In India, CO2 emissions rose almost 13% in 2021, to just above their levels. of 2019 emissions.
In China, fossil emissions increased by about 4% compared to 2020, and 6% more than in 2019, in part because that country's response to COVID-19 came earlier than much of the rest of the world; Experts have already seen that the country's emissions began to rebound in 2020.
Carbon emissions 2021
Climate experts hoped the COVID economy recovery packages would channel money into environmental solutions to change the trajectory of our emissions-laden future. But ultimately, that hasn't turned out to be true.
What disheartens me most is the lack of stimulus funding around the world that has so far gone towards green energy and technology.
Rob Jackson, professor of Earth Sciences at Stanford University and president of the Global Carbon Project.
The United States is lagging behind other countries when it comes to COVID stimulus funding, with the Build Back Better plan seemingly off the table in Congress.
But the rest of the world continues to allocate most of its stimulus money to “brown,” or fossil fuel-based, industry, as opposed to green industry. “Around the world we have encouraged business as usual instead of change ,” says Jackson.
There is some good news
The renewable energy sector grew by 10% globally in 2020, which will have lasting effects. The Global Methane Commitment, announced at COP26 to dramatically reduce emissions of this powerful greenhouse gas, could contribute to lower emissions.
Carbon emissions 2021: Goodbye to the reductions that had been achieved
The Global Coal Commitment could also be good news for the climate, but Jackson adds that the change in language from “phasing out” to “phasing out” was disappointing, and “it remains to be seen what real changes are produced by it . ”
Coal use is something Jackson plans to pay special attention to in the coming years. Experts thought that global coal use peaked in 2013, and has been declining since then. But COVID recovery plans helped coal use jump back to just below that peak.
Coal was the only fossil fuel where we thought we had seen the permanent global peak six or seven years ago, and now we could surpass that peak next year… That would be really bad news.
Rob Jackson, professor of Earth Sciences at Stanford University and president of the Global Carbon Project.
Looking ahead to 2022, Jackson worries that emissions from fossil fuels will rise even further, especially if coal use increases and transportation returns to pre-pandemic levels. “If the global economy roars back,” he says, “we could see a new world record for fossil carbon emissions next year.