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COVID-19 Lockdown Cuts Daily CO2 Emissions by 60%

Daily CO2 emissions have dropped almost 60% across the EU since lockdowns froze the world economy, this highlights how the pandemic has temporarily reduced the human impact on the environment. The UK has reduced carbon emissions by more than a third during the coronavirus as the grounding of aircraft and less power generation has produced the silver lining of cleaner air across the country.


Analysis by Sia Partners found that daily CO2 emissions reduced by 36% in the UK as the lockdown has resulted in reduced economic activity and big falls in large carbon-emitting sectors such as transport, power generation, and manufacturing.

A busy airport apron, full of planes.

This reduction in emissions, covering the period since the UK lockdown began on 23rd March up until the end of April shows that six days of lockdown is equivalent to the emissions of the whole domestic aviation sector for a whole year. The biggest impact has been in the transport sector, where emissions from aviation are down 90%.


Measures to confine EU member stat populations to slow the spread of the virus have disrupted economies and promoted a 58% decline in daily carbon emissions, according to calculations by Sia Partners, a French consultancy specialising in energy.

Graph showing the reduction in CO2 emission

Carbon Dioxide isn't the only harmful gas which has seen a decline in its production. Other harmful gases emitted by vehicles and industry have also declined during the pandemic. The European Space Agency said recently that its satellites have seen sharp reductions in NO2 pollution in the continent's big cities. There is a growing belief that the coronavirus crisis is the ideal moment to rethink economic models, to stop the acceleration of global warming.


This crisis has clearly highlighted to need to cut CO2 emissions and do our bit to slow, and hopefully end, the acceleration of global warming. The smallest changes to our lives add up quickly when there is 7.5 billion of us. Walking to work, using more energy-efficient lightbulbs, and reducing waste can all make a difference. As well as changes to your lives you can make environmentally-friendly changes to your business to help cut emissions. Milk-delivery bottled gas with an Apex Gas Generator can easily cut down your businesses carbon footprint.


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