During peak lockdown in early April of this year, carbon or CO2 emissions dropped worldwide by 17 percent as compared to 2019. Current CO2 emission levels are nearly equivalent to those measured in 2006, according to a study published in the journal Nature Climate Change. However, researchers emphasize that this decrease may not be sustained, as CO2 emissions will likely only drop by about 4-7 percent depending on the trajectory of the pandemic.

In the wake of COVID-19 , some countries have already made decisions to move toward a greener future. The European Commission, the executive branch of the European Union, put forth a $572 billion economic recovery plan with the goal for the EU to be climate-neutral by 2050. South Korea has also introduced the Korean New Deal, which puts a $135 billion investment in green and digital technology. President Xi Jinping announced recently that China will aim for carbon neutrality by 2060 and plans to peak its carbon emissions by 2030. China is currently the world’s biggest emitter of carbon and the largest energy financier with the biggest market. These moves from China, the EU and others put pressure on other countries to follow.