Assessing the impacts of COVID-19 are of paramount importance for global sustainability. Using a coordinated set of high-resolution sectoral assessment tools, we report a decrease of 4.2\% in global CO_2 emission in first quarter of 2020. Our emission estimatesreflect near real time inventories of emissions }  from power generation , transportation, industry, international aviation and maritime sectors in 34 countries that account for >70\% of world energy-related CO2 emissions in recent years. Regional variations in CO_2 emissions are significant, with a decrease in China (-9.3\% ) , US (-3.0 \%), Europe ( EU-27 & UK)(-3.3\%) and India (-2.4\%) , respectively. The decline of short-lived gaseous pollutants, such as NO_2 concentration observed by Satellites (-25.73\%for China, -4.76\%for US) and ground observations (-23\%for China)is consistent with the estimates based on energy activity (-23.94\% for China, -3.52\% for US), but the decline is not seen in satellite assessments of aerosol optical depth (AOD) or dry column CO_2 (XCO_2). With fast recovery and partial re-opening of national economies, our findings suggest that total annual emissions may drop far less than previously estimated (e.g. , by 25\%for China and more than 5\%for the whole world) . However, the longer-term effects on CO_2 emissions are unknown and should be carefully monitored using multiple measures .
The unprecedented cessation of human activities during the COVID-19 pandemic has affected global energy use and CO2 emissions from fossil fuel use and cement production. Here we show that the decrease in global fossil CO2 emissions during the first quarter of 2020 was of 5.8\% (542 Mt CO2 with a 20\% 1- \sigma} uncertainty). Unlike other emerging estimates, ours show the temporal dynamics of emissions based on actual emissions data from power generation (for 29 countries) and industry (for 73 countries), on near real time activity data for road transportation (for 132 countries), aviation and maritime transportation, and on heating degree days for commercial and residential sectors emissions (for 206 countries). These dynamic estimates cover all of the human induced CO2 emissions from fossil fuel combustion and cement production. The largest share of COVID-related decreases in emissions are due to decreases in industry (157.9 Mt CO2 , -7.1\% compared to 2019), followed by road transportation (145.7 Mt CO2, -8.3 \%), power generation (131.6 Mt CO2, -3.8\%), residential (47.8 Mt CO2, -3.6\%), fishing and maritime transport (35.5Mt CO2, -13.3\%) and aviation (33.4 Mt CO2, -8.0\%). Regionally, decreases in emissions from China were the largest and earliest (-10.3\%), followed by Europe ( EU-27 & UK) (-4.3\%) and the U.S. (-4.2\%). Relative decreases of regional CO2 emissions are consistent with regional nitrogen oxides concentrations observed by satellites and ground-based networks. Despite the unprecedented decreases in CO2 emissions and comparable decreases in economic activities, we monitored decreases in the carbon intensity (Emission per unit of GDP) in China (3.5\%) , the U.S. (4.5\%) and Europe (5.4\%) over the first quarter, suggesting that carbon-intensive activities have been disproportionally impacted .
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Assessing the impacts of
The unprecedented cessation of human activities during the
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are of paramount importance for global sustainability. Using a coordinated set of high-resolution sectoral assessment tools, we report a decrease of 4.2\% in global CO_2 emission in
pandemic has affected global energy use and CO2 emissions from fossil fuel use and cement production. Here we show that the decrease in global fossil CO2 emissions during the
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2020. Our emission estimatesreflect near real time inventories of emissions
2020 was of 5.8\% (542 Mt CO2 with a 20\% 1-
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\sigma
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uncertainty). Unlike other emerging estimates, ours show the temporal dynamics of emissions based on actual emissions data
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, transportation, industry, international
(for 29 countries) and industry (for 73 countries), on near real time activity data for road transportation (for 132 countries),
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sectors in 34 countries that account for >70\% of world energy-related
transportation, and on heating degree days for commercial and residential sectors emissions (for 206 countries). These dynamic estimates cover all of the human induced
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in recent years. Regional variations in CO_2 emissions are significant, with a decrease in China (-9.3\% )
from fossil fuel combustion and cement production. The largest share of COVID-related decreases in emissions are due to decreases in industry (157.9 Mt CO2
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US (-3.0
-7.1\% compared to 2019), followed by road transportation (145.7 Mt CO2, -8.3
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Europe (
power generation (131.6 Mt CO2, -3.8\%), residential (47.8 Mt CO2, -3.6\%), fishing and maritime transport (35.5Mt CO2, -13.3\%) and aviation (33.4 Mt CO2, -8.0\%). Regionally, decreases in emissions from China were the largest and earliest (-10.3\%), followed by Europe (
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UK)(-3.3\%)
UK) (-4.3\%)
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India (-2.4\%)
the U.S. (-4.2\%). Relative decreases of regional CO2 emissions are consistent with regional nitrogen oxides concentrations observed by satellites and ground-based networks. Despite the unprecedented decreases in CO2 emissions and comparable decreases in economic activities, we monitored decreases in the carbon intensity (Emission per unit of GDP) in China (3.5\%)
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respectively. The decline of short-lived gaseous pollutants, such as NO_2 concentration observed by Satellites (-25.73\%for China, -4.76\%for US) and ground observations (-23\%for China)is consistent with the estimates based on energy activity (-23.94\% for China, -3.52\% for US), but the decline is not seen in satellite assessments of aerosol optical depth (AOD) or dry column CO_2 (XCO_2). With fast recovery and partial re-opening of national economies, our findings suggest that total annual emissions may drop far less than previously estimated (e.g. , by 25\%for China and more than 5\%for the whole world) . However, the longer-term effects on CO_2 emissions are unknown and should be carefully monitored using multiple measures
the U.S. (4.5\%) and Europe (5.4\%) over the first quarter, suggesting that carbon-intensive activities have been disproportionally impacted