CO2 emission levels at an all-time low, but it’s not all good news
CO2 emissions registered between March and April 2020 were among the lowest ever recorded. Due to the imposition of lockdowns aimed at counteracting the spread of Coronavirus, a considerable drop in CO2 emissions was observed.
While this data indicates how a drastic reduction in the use of fossil fuels can have a real impact on the fight against climate change, experts suggest that certain negative consequences are likely to emerge during the current year.
Data on lockdown and CO2 emissions
During the early months of closure due to Covid-19, citizens and businesses were required to halt all activity, including the use of vehicles, factory production and public transport. In that period alone, CO2 emissions fell by 35%.
This equates to a reduction of approximately 20 million tonnes of carbon dioxide when compared to the year 2019. This figure, if it remains constant, could help Italy achieve the objectives set out in the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
On closer inspection, it becomes clear that March was a month of transition due to the gradual application of increasingly restrictive regulations. Compared to the previous year, annual energy consumption levels fell by 15.9%, while carbon dioxide emissions dropped by 19%.
Transport was the sector that has had the greatest influence on reducing CO2 levels. Diesel fuel accounted for 60% of the decrease, followed by petrol (22%), jet fuel (15%) and finally LPG (5%), adding up to 5.5 million tonne fall altogether.
By April however, the decrease had reached as much as 7 million tonnes, reflecting what a difference an almost complete standstill in the transport sector can make on pollution emissions.
Electricity consumption also recorded a sizeable decrease; March saw a drop of 21.1% while the figure was 23% for April. These statistics are all extremely relevant and could be the key to fighting the dangerous levels of climate change the world is currently witnessing.
Likely negative consequences in 2021
Despite the encouraging data on CO2 emissions from the previous year, there is a lot of concern about the recovery. The post-Covid period in fact, could provoke an unprecedented wave of energy consumption, which could wipe out the progress made so far.
This theory is based on historic evidence which demonstrates how the need to resume their usual activities and make up for lost time tends to encourage citizens and companies to increase their energy consumption dramatically. If this happens, Italy will find itself on a path which deviates dangerously from that necessary for the achievement of the Paris objectives.
According to the Italian Foundation for Sustainable Development, it is essential to maintain the levels reached during lockdown throughout 2021 and an important part of this is to focus on the green economy. Definitive restrictions for the control of fossil fuels are needed, as well as carefully thought through plans of action which will allow companies to re-open with a more sustainable approach.
This is the only way possible to fight ongoing climate change and avoid the already precarious environmental situation being made worse. A green recovery is certainly an ideal way to achieve at least one positive result from the Covid pandemic experience.
So it is possible to avoid the negative consequences, but it will require real effort by the institutions and carefully planned recovery strategies. Now, all that remains is to wait until the end of 2021 to find out how CO2 emissions and pollution levels will have changed.
Translated by Joanne Beckwith
