How did global carbon dioxide emissions decline only by 6.4% in 2020 despite major global lockdowns and travel restrictions? What would have to happen for them to drop by say 50%?

Question

Source for the 6.4% number: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-00090-3

In: 5

Answer 1

Top 5 sources of global CO2 emissions – 31% electricity and heat generation, 15% transportation, 12% manufacturing, 11% agriculture, 6% forestry. Only transportation was significantly impacted by lockdowns, and cargo still moved and lots of people still travelled. 6.4% seems about right.

To drop by 50%, we’d have to largely stop using fossil fuels, or at least decease their use substantially.