How the pandemic did (or didn t) impact carbon emissions 03:56 (CNN)US greenhouse gas emissions dropped dramatically in 2020, helping the country meet one of its long-standing climate targets. But the dip came at a great economic cost and experts warn that unless climate action becomes a priority, emissions will bounce back quickly.
The crisis sparked by the coronavirus pandemic caused US emissions to drop by 10.3% last year, according to preliminary estimates by the Rhodium Group, a private data analytics firm. That is the single biggest drop in annual emissions in the post-World War II era, the group said. By comparison, the 2009 economic recession caused emissions to drop 6.3%.
Climate change and the rise of CO2: App State scientists contribute to 2020 Global Carbon Budget
Appalachian State University scientists Dr. Gregg Marland, left and Dr. Dennis Gilfillan ’08 are among 86 scientists worldwide who contributed their expertise to the Global Carbon Project’s 2020 Global Carbon Budget an annual, in-depth report on the amount of CO2 produced by the world’s nations and how much enters the ocean, is taken up by growing plants or accumulates in the atmosphere. Marland holds a dual appointment as an adjunct research professor in App State’s Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences and Research Institute for Environment, Energy, and Economics (RIEEE). Gilfillan is a postdoctoral research scholar in RIEEE and a staff member in the university’s Appalachian Energy Center. Photos by Chase Reynolds
The dip in global carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels is estimated to hit a historical high of 7% in 2020 on account of the COVID-19 lockdowns across