8 COVID-19 and Its Impact on Carbon Dioxide Emissions
205
Fig. 8.7 Fossil CO 2 emission for global, USA, and Italy (redrawn with partial data from [14])
in USA was found to be decreased only after March 2020 as the “stay at home” order
has been implemented. Thus, the fossil CO 2 emission was only declined by 4.7% for
the first quarter of 2020. The rapid emission declined was observed only in March
as the strict lockdown was implemented. In March, the emission in USA was 13.8%
followed by further sharp decrease in April to 25.6%. This further confirmed that
strict lockdown has direct impact on CO 2 emission.
8.7.2 Italy
Among European countries, Italy was one of the most affected countries by COVID19 related pandemic. The decline in CO 2 emission in this country was monitored by
the end of January. The emission starts declining rapidly after the implementation of
complete lockdown by the 2nd week of March. In the middle of February, the CO 2
emission in Italy was 14.9% (Fig. 8.7).
8.7.3 China
Early detection of COVID-19 crisis made the Chinese government to take level 3
confinement very early in 2020 that decreased the fossil CO 2 emission more rapidly.
Due to this early lockdown, the fossil CO 2 emission in China was declined by 9.3%.
However, the decline was relaxed after March due to rapid control of COVID-19
situation in Chinese cities (Fig. 8.8). Thus after March the fossil CO 2 emission
recovered quickly. From the data it is indicated that the emission was much higher
in February (14.6%) than in March (8.1%). Also, it was noticed that in April China’s
CO 2 emission rises up to 0.8% than the same period of time in 2019 after the lockdown
confinement was less [14].
205
Fig. 8.7 Fossil CO 2 emission for global, USA, and Italy (redrawn with partial data from [14])
in USA was found to be decreased only after March 2020 as the “stay at home” order
has been implemented. Thus, the fossil CO 2 emission was only declined by 4.7% for
the first quarter of 2020. The rapid emission declined was observed only in March
as the strict lockdown was implemented. In March, the emission in USA was 13.8%
followed by further sharp decrease in April to 25.6%. This further confirmed that
strict lockdown has direct impact on CO 2 emission.
8.7.2 Italy
Among European countries, Italy was one of the most affected countries by COVID19 related pandemic. The decline in CO 2 emission in this country was monitored by
the end of January. The emission starts declining rapidly after the implementation of
complete lockdown by the 2nd week of March. In the middle of February, the CO 2
emission in Italy was 14.9% (Fig. 8.7).
8.7.3 China
Early detection of COVID-19 crisis made the Chinese government to take level 3
confinement very early in 2020 that decreased the fossil CO 2 emission more rapidly.
Due to this early lockdown, the fossil CO 2 emission in China was declined by 9.3%.
However, the decline was relaxed after March due to rapid control of COVID-19
situation in Chinese cities (Fig. 8.8). Thus after March the fossil CO 2 emission
recovered quickly. From the data it is indicated that the emission was much higher
in February (14.6%) than in March (8.1%). Also, it was noticed that in April China’s
CO 2 emission rises up to 0.8% than the same period of time in 2019 after the lockdown
confinement was less [14].