The dramatic drop in greenhouse gases and air pollutants seen during the global lockdown will have little impact on our warming planet say scientists. Their new analysis suggests that by 2030, global temperatures will only be 0.01C lower than expected. But the authors stress that the nature of the recovery could significantly alter the longer term outlook. A strong green stimulus could keep the world from exceeding 1.5C of warming by the middle of this century.
BBC 7th Aug 2020 read more »
When Harriet Forster’s A-level exams were cancelled because of the pandemic, unlike some teenagers she did not enjoy an extended summer holiday. The 18-year-old student is passionate about tackling climate change and decided to spend several months analysing data on reductions in emissions during the global lockdown. Her efforts may have far greater impact than her previous campaigning, which included putting up posters encouraging pupils to eat less meat. Her work, alongside eminent climate scientists, has culminated in a study published yesterday in one of the world’s top scientific journals. The study she co-authored in Nature Climate Change found that although the sharp fall in emissions during the lockdown will have a “negligible” impact on rising temperatures, ensuring that there is a “green recovery” could avert dangerous climate change.
Times 8th Aug 2020 read more »
The draconian coronavirus lockdowns across the world have led to sharp drops in carbon emissions, but this will have “negligible” impact on the climate crisis, with global heating cut by just 0.01C by 2030, a study has found. But the analysis also shows that putting the huge sums of post-Covid-19 government funding into a green recovery and shunning fossil fuels will give the world a good chance of keeping the rise in global temperatures below 1.5C. The scientists said we are now at a “make or break” moment in keeping under the limit – as compared with pre-industrial levels – agreed by the world’s governments to avoid the worst effects of global heating.
Guardian 7th Aug 2020 read more »
Climate crisis: Bold green policies from world governments ‘could halve temperature rises expected by 2050’. The global lockdown will have a “negligible” impact on rising temperatures but a green recovery could avert the climate crisis, a study has said. Lockdowns to stop the spread of coronavirus caused huge falls in transport use, as well as reductions in industry and commercial operations, cutting the greenhouse gases and pollutants caused by vehicles and other activities. The impact is only short-lived, however, and analysis shows that even if some lockdown measures last until the end of 2021, global temperatures will only be 0.01C lower than expected by 2030. But if countries choose a “strong” green stimulus route out of the pandemic it could halve the temperature rises expected by 2050, the study published in Nature Climate Change said. That gives the world a good chance of keeping temperature rises to the 1.5C goal that countries signed up to under the international Paris climate agreement to prevent the most dangerous impacts of global warming.
Independent 7th Aug 2020 read more »