Even as cars are off the roads, industries are shut, the COVID-19 is having a very little impact on the climate change, the Meteorological Organization (WMO) has said. The agency, a part of the United Nations in Geneva, observed that any fall in carbon dioxide emissions and pollution are likely to be temporary.
Lars Peter Riishojgaard, WIGOS Project Manager from the infrastructure department of the WMO, while speaking at a press conference said there was a long of discussions on the effect of the COVID-19 have on greenhouse gas emissions, longer-term global warming and climate.
“The answer to that is it probably does not mean very much,” he was quoted as saying by the AFP. He added that while carbon dioxide emissions would go down in short term, as not many vehicles on the road due to the pandemic outbreak, the impact is likely to be short-lived.
Mentioning India’s national capital, Riishojgaard observed that visibilities in cities like New Delhi have improved due to less traffic on roads. He however cautioned that it was only an “artificial halt”.
Referring to China’s shutting down of industrial production during the Beijing Olympics in 2008, he added as per the agency, “They demonstrated very clearly that you can absolutely, if you have enough control over the situation, you can turn off the air pollution”.
He said that things are likely pick up eventually.
