Oh, Yay! Back To Normal In China, W. Emissions Up 4-5% YOY For May After Lockdown

[hatrack]

China’s CO2 emissions have surged back from the coronavirus lockdown, rising by 4-5% year-on-year in May, analysis of new government data shows.

Emissions fell an estimated 25% in the six weeks following the lockdown, from early February to mid-March, before bottoming out, as factories and power plants reduced output. Road and air traffic also fell dramatically. But the latest data shows the rebound in emissions has been rapid, as evidenced by the return of air pollution to pre-crisis levels.

The increase in CO2 in May was driven by coal power, cement and other heavy industries, which appear to be bouncing back faster than other sectors of the economy. This is prompting concerns about the global implications of a coal-heavy recovery in China.

However, the latest data shows China’s CO2 emissions in 2020 to date remain some 6% below 2019 levels. With China having dropped its GDP target for the first time in 30 years – but also shelving “green” goals – question marks remain over the path of emissions this year.

EDIT

https://www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-chinas-co2-emissions-surged-past-pre-coronavirus-levels-in-may

[Calculating]

1. Oh well

It's too late anyway, we had to get serious about this issue 20 years ago. Now we just need to adapt to the changes.