• Environment -> Climate Change and Sustainability

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Is the recent lockdown due to COVID-19 responsible for a noticeable decrease in greenhouse gas emissions worldwide?

Rosina McKerley

Yes, the recent lockdown due to COVID-19 is responsible for a noticeable decrease in greenhouse gas emissions worldwide!

Greenhouse gases come from things like cars, factories, and other things that use fossil fuels. When we burn these fuels, they release gases like carbon dioxide that trap heat in our atmosphere. This causes our planet to get hotter and hotter – which is bad news for us and all the animals that call Earth home.

But when people stay at home and factories slow down or stop completely, there is less burning of fossil fuels and fewer greenhouse gases being released into the air. This means the planet has a chance to start cooling down!

Some countries have seen huge decreases in greenhouse gas emissions, especially in the early days of the pandemic. Places like China and Italy, which were hit hard by the virus, saw a drop of almost 25% in their emissions compared to the same time last year!

Of course, we don't want lockdowns to be permanent – but there are things we can do to keep the planet healthy even after things start going back to normal. We can drive less, eat less meat, and use less electricity whenever possible. These are things that everyone can do to make sure we're taking care of our planet – so that it can take care of us for years to come!