Fall in emissions during pandemic will have negligible impact on climate change- UN Report

Annual Emissions Gap Report 2020 published by the UN Environment Programme asked to adopt into green recovery from the pandemic to close climate action gap. The report emphasised that it can bring 2030 emissions close to the targeted values. It has been identified that fall in emissions caused by lockdown measures will contribute to a negligible impact on climate change.

"By combining a green pandemic recovery with swift moves to include new net-zero commitments in updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NCDs) under the Paris Agreement, the following up with rapid, stronger action, governments could still attain the more ambitious 1.5 degree Celsius goal" Report underlined.

As part of following green recovery UNEP instructed to follow measure such as support for zero-emissions technologies and infrastructure, reducing fossil fuel subsidies, starting no new coal plants and also to promote nature-based solutions. UNEP acknowledged that 126 countries which are causing 51 per cent of global greenhouse emissions are either announced or considering net-zero goals.

Emission Gap Reports assesses the interval between planned anticipated emissions and the measures which are consistent with Paris Agreement. Based on so far gained observations, World Meteorological Organization (WMO) had already announced that 2020 is set to become one of the three hottest years so far on the records and 2011-2020 as the hottest decade.