8 COVID-19 and Its Impact on Carbon Dioxide Emissions
197
Data from the satellite observations and estimated CO 2 emission from power
plants suggested that we might be witnessing the largest drop in CO 2 emission since
the end of the Second World War. Though the exact data of CO 2 emission during
COVID-19 crisis would be available only after the analysis of global inventories of
fuel and energy use in the lag of coming one or two years [4, 8, 11, 18]. To give a quick
idea about the impact of CO 2 emission related to COVID-19 crisis, International
Energy Agency provides an assessment of monthly fossil fuel energy demand in
their report. They indicate around 5% decreases in the fuel energy demands by the
period of Jan–Apr 2020. In their recent report, Le Quéré et al. [12] also introduced a
big step for compiling governmental policies and activity data to monitor decline in
CO 2 emission during the forced confinement. Their reports indicated 17% decreases
in the daily global CO 2 emission level by the end of April 2020 than the data available
for April 2019.
Still now there is lacking of quantitative data related to decline of CO 2 emission
and data difference due to daily, weekly, monthly, and seasonal variation. Also,
the precise data difference due to holidays during those confinement time periods.
Inclusion of these variations in the emission could improve the understanding of exact
CO 2 emission-related data corresponding to COVID-19 related confinement. Thus,
day-to-day inventories and baseline data for 2019 and the confinement period of
2020 should be monitored as this data would be critical for estimating CO 2 emission
dynamics. For this, Liu et al. [14] constructed inventories on near real time emission
on daily, monthly, and seasonal variation both for a period of Jan–May 2020 and
Jan–May 2019. Their monitoring also included holidays to ward off related emission
declined. They indicated it will improve our understanding on the exact decline of
COVID-19 related CO 2 emission during the studied period.
Sector wise as well as country wise fossil CO 2 emission also be an interesting
option. Le Quéré et al. [12] monitored the CO 2 emission of six different economic
sectors during the confinement periods of Jan–Apr, 2020 and compared the data with
that of 2019 emission. They also monitored the sector-wise activity change during
the confinement and monitored its impact on CO 2 emission. Whereas Liu et al. [14]
monitored the near real-time data of CO 2 emission of 416 cities all over the world
and compared with the data of 2019. They also monitored the country level CO 2
emission and reported in their article.
The chapter provides a glimpse of different studies on global level, sector level and
country wise CO 2 emission during the confinement periods. In this chapter impact of
daily, monthly, and seasonal variation on the monitoring of exact CO 2 emission has
also been discussed. Sector-wise activity (Industry, power, public, surface transport,
residential, and aviation) change and corresponding CO 2 emission has been discussed
briefly.
In the following sections the changes in CO 2 emission due to shutdown of above
mentioned sectors are described first. Then in the next section the global and countrywise (most CO 2 emitting countries) changes in CO 2 emission are discussed. Finally
in the last section the changes in CO 2 emission and its impact on our environment are
discussed. This chapter finally concluded in the last section. This chapter indicates
that partial shutdown could be a promising alternative to tackle the global warming
197
Data from the satellite observations and estimated CO 2 emission from power
plants suggested that we might be witnessing the largest drop in CO 2 emission since
the end of the Second World War. Though the exact data of CO 2 emission during
COVID-19 crisis would be available only after the analysis of global inventories of
fuel and energy use in the lag of coming one or two years [4, 8, 11, 18]. To give a quick
idea about the impact of CO 2 emission related to COVID-19 crisis, International
Energy Agency provides an assessment of monthly fossil fuel energy demand in
their report. They indicate around 5% decreases in the fuel energy demands by the
period of Jan–Apr 2020. In their recent report, Le Quéré et al. [12] also introduced a
big step for compiling governmental policies and activity data to monitor decline in
CO 2 emission during the forced confinement. Their reports indicated 17% decreases
in the daily global CO 2 emission level by the end of April 2020 than the data available
for April 2019.
Still now there is lacking of quantitative data related to decline of CO 2 emission
and data difference due to daily, weekly, monthly, and seasonal variation. Also,
the precise data difference due to holidays during those confinement time periods.
Inclusion of these variations in the emission could improve the understanding of exact
CO 2 emission-related data corresponding to COVID-19 related confinement. Thus,
day-to-day inventories and baseline data for 2019 and the confinement period of
2020 should be monitored as this data would be critical for estimating CO 2 emission
dynamics. For this, Liu et al. [14] constructed inventories on near real time emission
on daily, monthly, and seasonal variation both for a period of Jan–May 2020 and
Jan–May 2019. Their monitoring also included holidays to ward off related emission
declined. They indicated it will improve our understanding on the exact decline of
COVID-19 related CO 2 emission during the studied period.
Sector wise as well as country wise fossil CO 2 emission also be an interesting
option. Le Quéré et al. [12] monitored the CO 2 emission of six different economic
sectors during the confinement periods of Jan–Apr, 2020 and compared the data with
that of 2019 emission. They also monitored the sector-wise activity change during
the confinement and monitored its impact on CO 2 emission. Whereas Liu et al. [14]
monitored the near real-time data of CO 2 emission of 416 cities all over the world
and compared with the data of 2019. They also monitored the country level CO 2
emission and reported in their article.
The chapter provides a glimpse of different studies on global level, sector level and
country wise CO 2 emission during the confinement periods. In this chapter impact of
daily, monthly, and seasonal variation on the monitoring of exact CO 2 emission has
also been discussed. Sector-wise activity (Industry, power, public, surface transport,
residential, and aviation) change and corresponding CO 2 emission has been discussed
briefly.
In the following sections the changes in CO 2 emission due to shutdown of above
mentioned sectors are described first. Then in the next section the global and countrywise (most CO 2 emitting countries) changes in CO 2 emission are discussed. Finally
in the last section the changes in CO 2 emission and its impact on our environment are
discussed. This chapter finally concluded in the last section. This chapter indicates
that partial shutdown could be a promising alternative to tackle the global warming