Paradoxically, the coronavirus catastrophe has given the world an idea of how quickly pollution could be reined in with extreme measures. The first few months of the year have seen an abrupt drop in CO2 emissions, with the COVID-19 outbreak temporarily shutting down industrial activity and grounding flights in large parts of Asia, Europe and North America. Even though experts warn these effects won’t last long, some, like Fatih Birol, head of the International Energy Agency, are fervently appealing to governments to use this “historic opportunity” to include renewable energy in their stimulus plans to offset an economic recession of historic proportions.
By Martin Kuebler. Deutche Welle. March 23, 2020.
