There's a new normal after the pandemic. People work from home, meet virtually and travel less. Manufacturing, power and transport are also transformed by the pandemic. These pandemic-induced changes could help fight climate change.
Reduced global emissions
Air travel fell 66% in 2020, with a record fall of 90% in April. Flight bans and stay-at-home orders reduced road transport, and some cities had 80% less road traffic. Manufacturing and power generation decreased. As countries imposed lockdowns, global CO2 emissions fell by 7% in 2020, the largest annual drop since World War II. However, emissions bounced back in 2021 and are now higher than before the pandemic.
Changes to Manufacturing and Power Generation
Lockdowns meant lower power demand. Many renewable energy sources, like solar and wind, produce electricity intermittently, so grids need "spinning reserves", conventional power plants that can quickly adjust their output to meet demand fluctuations. During lockdowns, those reserve power plants often ran at minimum output, increasing costs.
Manufacturing disruptions affected solar panels, wind turbines and batteries, raising prices. This, combined with low oil and gas prices, slowed renewables growth in 2020. Still, the share of renewables in global power generation rose slightly that year.
Transportation disruptions
Aviation, shipping, and tourism plunged during the pandemic. Many airlines are struggling, and some may go bankrupt. The auto industry is shifting towards electric vehicles, boosted by government incentives and bans on internal combustion engines.
In 2020, global electric car sales rose 43% to 3 million, despite shrinking automobile markets. Some experts predicted that without the pandemic, electric car sales could have been twice as high.
Changes in consumer behavior
The pandemic has affected consumer behavior, with more online shopping and virtual meetings, and less international conferences, sports events and tourism. It's unclear which will persist after the pandemic, and how they might affect emissions.
The post-pandemic future
We can take advantage of pandemic-driven changes to transition to a low-carbon economy and help tackle climate change.
Governments can direct the recovery to low-carbon sectors. Policies can prioritize clean energy, energy efficiency, sustainable agriculture and transport, while helping affected workers and industries transition. Public transport and cycling can be improved, and fossil fuel subsidies can be cut.
Businesses can adopt sustainable practices, such as reducing energy consumption and waste, investing in clean technologies and promoting remote working.
Individuals can make sustainable choices, such as buying local, reducing meat consumption, flying less and installing renewable energy systems.
By taking advantage of the pandemic-induced changes, we can collectively create a more sustainable and climate-friendly world.
