The Global Carbon Project estimates that emissions of carbon dioxide at a global level dropped by just 7% in 2020 compared to the previous year. At the height of the pandemic in 2020, emissions from surface transport (road and rail) and aviation are reported to have decreased by approximately 50% and 75% respectively. Why then, with such dramatic drops in the transport sector, is this not mirrored with a significant drop in total global emissions? The answer lies in the fact that surface transportation and aviation combined account for just less than 25% of total global emissions. In order to avert catastrophic changes to our way of life, as a result of climate change, we must dramatically and immediately reduce our greenhouse gas emissions on a global scale. Although, without doubt, an important and straight forward change to make, the COVID 19 pandemic has shown us that even significantly reducing the amount we travel around the globe is not capable of significantly and sufficiently reducing our total global emissions. The pandemic therefore has demonstrated that a solution to this problem must be much broader, encompassing all sectors of industry, transportation, agriculture and lifestyle.
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