Fossil CO2 emissions in the post-COVID-19 era

Growth in CO2 emissions has slowed since the Paris Agreement 5 years ago. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a drop in emissions of about 7% in 2020 relative to 2019, but strong policy is needed to address underlying drivers and to sustain a decline in global emissions beyond the current crisis. Five years after the adoption of the Paris Climate Agreement, growth in global CO2 emissions has begun to falter. The pervasive disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic have radically altered the trajectory of global CO2 emissions. Contradictory effects of the post-COVID-19 investments in fossil fuel-based infrastructure and the recent strengthening of climate targets must be addressed with new policy choices to sustain a decline in global emissions in the post-COVID-19 era.

Automated summary

Five years after the adoption of the Paris Climate Agreement, global CO2 emissions growth has started to slow down. The trajectory of global CO2 emissions has been drastically altered by the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. New policy choices are needed to address the contradictory effects of post-COVID-19 investments in fossil fuel-based infrastructure and the recent strengthening of climate targets to sustain a decline in global emissions in the post-COVID-19 era.