CO2 emissions from the energy sector are expected to drop in 2020 due to the coronavirus epidemic, the International Energy Agency (IEA) estimated on Thursday, while warning of a likely strong rebound. .
Global CO2 emissions from the sector should drop by around 8% (or nearly 2.6 gigatonnes) this year, returning to their lowest level since 2010. This would be the largest decline ever recorded, six times greater than the previous decline recorded in 2009 following the global financial crisis, estimates the IEA in a report.
"The fall in demand is staggering for almost all sources"
According to the agency, which advises developed countries on their energy policy, energy demand is expected to fall by 6% this year - a gigantic loss which represents the equivalent of India's consumption. “It is a historic shock for the energy world as a whole. With unprecedented health and economic crises, the drop in demand is staggering for almost all sources of energy, particularly for coal, oil and gas, ”commented Fatih Birol, the executive director of the IEA.
It is the most polluting energies, starting with coal, which suffer the most. The latter suffered from several factors, including the slowdown in activity in China, where coal is still widely used, and competition from cheaper sources of energy. Only renewables, whose costs are falling, are doing well. In the end, emissions have fallen even more than energy demand.
Towards a recovery based on green technologies?
"This historic decline in global emissions, a consequence of premature death and economic trauma around the world, is absolutely not a cause for celebration," said Fatih Birol. "And if we trust what happened after the financial crisis of 2008, we should soon see a strong rebound in emissions with the improvement of economic conditions," he warns.
The IEA therefore takes this opportunity to advocate for an economic recovery based on green technologies: renewable, energy efficiency, batteries, hydrogen or even carbon capture and sequestration. "Investing in these areas can help create jobs, make economies more competitive and steer the world towards a more resilient and cleaner future," argues Fatih Birol.
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