--- title: "Study: Pandemic Caused 17% Drop in Global Carbon Emissions" description: "According to a new study, daily emissions decreased by 17 percent, or 17 million tons of carbon dioxide, worldwide to 2006 levels." date: "2020-05-19" modified: "2020-05-19" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/study-pandemic-drop-global-carbon-emissions" categories: - "Energy" - "Renewable Energy" - "Science & Energy" tags: - "carbon dioxide emissions" - "emissions" - "global emissions" - "the digest" --- # Study: Pandemic Caused 17% Drop in Global Carbon Emissions ![According to a new study, daily emissions decreased by 17 percent, or 17 million tons of carbon dioxide, worldwide to 2006 levels.]() *\Image: Pixabay/Victor Tangermann\* ## Cleaner Air According to a [new study]() by scientists at the University of East Anglia in the UK, daily carbon emissions have decreased by an astonishing 17 percent due to the coronavirus pandemic. The last time levels were this low was in 2006. "Population confinement has led to drastic changes in energy use and CO2 emissions," Corinne Le Quéré, professor at the University of East Anglia, and lead author of the paper published in the journal *Nature Climate Change* today, said in [a statement](). ## Carbon Sink The most significant changes in emissions were observed in China, the US, and Europe. The drop is so substantial, in fact, that would put world nations on a trajectory to achieve climate objectives that were outlined in the United Nations Paris Agreement. ## Temporary Changes Unfortunately, the drop is unlikely to stick. "These extreme decreases are likely to be temporary though, as they do not reflect structural changes in the economic, transport, or energy systems," Le Quéré said, adding that the "extent to which world leaders consider climate change when planning their economic responses post COVID-19 will influence the global CO2 emissions paths for decades to come." To keep carbon emissions low, local leaders in cities and suburbs could encourage things like walking, cycling, and the use of electric bikes, which also tend to be "far cheaper and better for wellbeing and air quality than building roads, and it preserves social distancing," according to Le Quéré. **READ MORE:** [COVID-19 crisis causes 17% drop in global carbon emissions: study]() \[University of East Anglia\] **More on the pandemic:** *[DON’T GET TOO EXCITED, BUT THIS COVID VACCINE LOOKS PROMISING]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()