US Carbon Emissions Decreased by 10% Last Year... "Impact of COVID-19"

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Yuri Kim] Last year, greenhouse gas emissions in the United States are estimated to have decreased by 10.3% due to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), according to a report by the private research institute Rhodium Group, cited by CNN and other foreign media on the 12th (local time).

The Rhodium Group stated that this rate of decrease is the highest since World War II, and emissions were the lowest in at least 30 years. Accordingly, last year’s U.S. carbon emissions dropped by 21.5% compared to 2005, surpassing the target set by the Copenhagen Accord (a 17% reduction from 2005).

The sharp decline in U.S. carbon emissions last year was largely due to the contraction of economic activities following COVID-19. The Rhodium Group said that carbon emissions from the transportation sector, including land and air transport, decreased by 14.7% due to lockdown orders, and emissions from the heavy industry sector also fell by 7% due to manufacturing downturns. In the power sector, the share of coal decreased while the share of renewable energy such as wind and solar increased, contributing to the reduction in carbon emissions.

However, experts believe that since the greenhouse gas reduction last year was overwhelmingly influenced by COVID-19, carbon emissions could rise again without significant policy changes.

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