A short-term decline in anthropogenic emission of CO2 in India due to COVID-19 confinement
A short-term decline in anthropogenic emission of CO2 in India due to COVID-19 confinement
To curb the spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19), confinement measures were undertaken, which altered the pattern of energy consumption and India’s anthropogenic CO2 emissions during the effective lockdowns periods (January to June 2020). Such changes are being analyzed using data of energy generated from coal and renewable sources and fossil-based daily CO2 emissions. Results revealed that coal-fired (fossil-based) energy generation fell by –13% in March, –29% in April, and –20% in May, and –16.6% in mid-June 2020 as compared with the same period in 2018–2019. Conversely, the renewable energy generation increased by 19% in March, 12% in April, 17% in May, and 7% in June 2020. The share of fossil-based energy fell by –6.55% in 2020 compared with mean levels, which was further offset by increases of renewable energy. India’s daily fossil-based CO2 emissions fell by –11.6% (–5 to –25.7%) by mid-June 2020 compared with mean levels of 2017–2019 with total change in fossil-based CO2 emission by –139 (–62 to –230) MtCO2, with the largest reduction in the industry (–41%), transport (–28.5%), and power (–21%) followed by the public (–5.4%), and aviation (–4%) sectors. If some levels of lockdown persist until December 2020, both energy consumption and CO2 emissions patterns would be below the 2019 level. The nationwide lockdown has led to a reduction in anthropogenic CO2 emissions and, subsequently, improved air quality and global environment and has also helped in reducing atmospheric CO2 concentrations at the local level but not on the global level. With suitable government policies, switching to a cleaner mode of energy generation other than fossil fuels could be a viable option to minimize CO2 emissions under increasing demand for energy.
atmospheric CO concentrations, coal-based energy, Lockdown, renewable energy
471-487
Parida, Bikash Ranjan
21c6f8e7-5d6c-4d46-86e3-4e7160b4d1b5
Bar, Somnath
1e199d14-4020-46ef-9dfa-733fe5fa6082
Singh, Nilendu
77c190f1-9609-4514-baee-ebc92b0aeced
Oinam, Bakimchandra
5f6b0fed-a960-4a99-98af-d495ded78d72
Pandey, Arvind Chandra
ab1750bd-2338-41d4-bb66-b4e083f221eb
Kumar, Manoj
4b3bfd7e-146c-4d0c-81d9-d1434061b9f8
23 October 2020
Parida, Bikash Ranjan
21c6f8e7-5d6c-4d46-86e3-4e7160b4d1b5
Bar, Somnath
1e199d14-4020-46ef-9dfa-733fe5fa6082
Singh, Nilendu
77c190f1-9609-4514-baee-ebc92b0aeced
Oinam, Bakimchandra
5f6b0fed-a960-4a99-98af-d495ded78d72
Pandey, Arvind Chandra
ab1750bd-2338-41d4-bb66-b4e083f221eb
Kumar, Manoj
4b3bfd7e-146c-4d0c-81d9-d1434061b9f8
Parida, Bikash Ranjan, Bar, Somnath, Singh, Nilendu, Oinam, Bakimchandra, Pandey, Arvind Chandra and Kumar, Manoj
(2020)
A short-term decline in anthropogenic emission of CO2 in India due to COVID-19 confinement.
Progress in Physical Geography, 45 (4), .
(doi:10.1177/0309133320966741).
Abstract
To curb the spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19), confinement measures were undertaken, which altered the pattern of energy consumption and India’s anthropogenic CO2 emissions during the effective lockdowns periods (January to June 2020). Such changes are being analyzed using data of energy generated from coal and renewable sources and fossil-based daily CO2 emissions. Results revealed that coal-fired (fossil-based) energy generation fell by –13% in March, –29% in April, and –20% in May, and –16.6% in mid-June 2020 as compared with the same period in 2018–2019. Conversely, the renewable energy generation increased by 19% in March, 12% in April, 17% in May, and 7% in June 2020. The share of fossil-based energy fell by –6.55% in 2020 compared with mean levels, which was further offset by increases of renewable energy. India’s daily fossil-based CO2 emissions fell by –11.6% (–5 to –25.7%) by mid-June 2020 compared with mean levels of 2017–2019 with total change in fossil-based CO2 emission by –139 (–62 to –230) MtCO2, with the largest reduction in the industry (–41%), transport (–28.5%), and power (–21%) followed by the public (–5.4%), and aviation (–4%) sectors. If some levels of lockdown persist until December 2020, both energy consumption and CO2 emissions patterns would be below the 2019 level. The nationwide lockdown has led to a reduction in anthropogenic CO2 emissions and, subsequently, improved air quality and global environment and has also helped in reducing atmospheric CO2 concentrations at the local level but not on the global level. With suitable government policies, switching to a cleaner mode of energy generation other than fossil fuels could be a viable option to minimize CO2 emissions under increasing demand for energy.
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Published date: 23 October 2020
Additional Information:
Funding Information:
Authors would like to thank POSOCO for providing access to the daily generation of energy from various sources. The authors would also thank the Global Carbon Project () for daily fossil-based CO emissions data. B.R.P. received funding from the University Grants Commission (UGC) under the start-up Grant (F. 4-5(209-FRP)/2015/BSR). 2
Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2020.
Keywords:
atmospheric CO concentrations, coal-based energy, Lockdown, renewable energy
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Local EPrints ID: 481043
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/481043
ISSN: 0309-1333
PURE UUID: 796f7a1b-8d13-4f9d-a2b6-215097c4adbb
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Date deposited: 15 Aug 2023 16:39
Last modified: 18 Mar 2024 04:12
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Author:
Bikash Ranjan Parida
Author:
Somnath Bar
Author:
Nilendu Singh
Author:
Bakimchandra Oinam
Author:
Arvind Chandra Pandey
Author:
Manoj Kumar
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