Coronavirus has changed the world over the last few months, with the effects of the pandemic being felt in all different industries and walks of life. However, if there are any positives to be taken from the pandemic then the impact on the environment is definitely one of them. There has been a dramatic reduction of carbon emissions into the atmosphere, a drop that has not been matched before despite the wars, recessions, and previous pandemics that we have seen over the last century.
Carbon emissions for 2020 will be an estimated 2-3 billion tonnes less than expected. To put that into perspective, that is roughly the energy demands of India for a year. World War 2 saw carbon emissions drop by around 800 million tonnes, whereas the financial crash in 2008 saw just a 450 million tonne reduction. Admittedly our carbon emissions as a planet have increased since then, but as a percentage drop, it is still a much larger reduction than any we have seen before.
The reason for this is the lockdown. With people working from home and being asked to stay indoors there was much less traffic on the roads and less pollution from trains and buses. Planes have been all but grounded for the last few months as holidays became implausible. Bike shops have been inundated with work as people look to get on two wheels to get around rather than four.
Whilst all these changes are having a positive impact on the environment for now, as things return to normal it becomes increasingly clear that this may just be a blip. Carbon emissions following the 2008 recession actually increased by 6% after the initial drop, and experts think we are likely to see this same trend continue if nothing is made of the dramatic improvements to our environment that lockdown has caused.
Whilst what happens with carbon emissions following Coronavirus is yet to be seen, it seems obvious that unless policies and technologies are implemented which both demand and enable the reduction of carbon emissions we can generally expect things to go back to the levels we experienced pre-lockdown.
We should all be aware however that environmental improvements are not completely out of our hands. As individuals, we have the ability to reduce our personal carbon footprint by doing things like recycling, avoiding unnecessary plane journeys, and walking or cycling for the smaller trips we make in our day to day lives rather than opting for cars and public transport.
Businesses should also try and make a similar promise. As a company, Shiply is and has always been committed to reducing the carbon footprint of the logistics and delivery industry in general, and our methodology remains the same. By putting customers in contact with drivers who are ‘going there anyway’ we reduce the amount of unnecessary, empty, or part-full vehicles on the roads whilst also reducing delivery prices for our customers by up to 75%.
Whilst there is still a way to go in the fight against climate change and environmental damage, there is still a lot we can do as individuals and as business entities. As always, if you want cheap quotes to deliver your items (and want to help the environment whilst doing it), visit our website and get started today!
Stat Source: BBC