EnvironmentNews

New Figures Show Harmful Emissions in the US Are Dangerously Back Up After Drop During Pandemic

3 Mins read

One of the few good things that happened during the pandemic was when planet heating emissions drastically dropped. We wrote about the subject in this prior post.

Unfortunately, new reports show that these climate-harming emissions have roared back in the United States in 2021.

Image: NadyGinzburg/Shutterstock

Going in the Wrong Direction

Conservationists were hoping that the pandemic would prove to be a learning moment in American society to address the climate crisis. Because millions of people were forced to work from home, it drastically decreased the need for car and airplane travel and even slowed down global industrial output. The impact on the environment was so significant that environmental changes were noticeable from pictures that were taken in outer space. It was definitely a moment for us to learn from and an opportunity to spark momentum and motivation to emerge towards a new era less reliant on fossil fuels.

New research, however, shows otherwise as US emissions rose by 6.2% in 2021, compared to numbers in 2020. Sure, the emissions were still 5% down from 2019 levels, but the rise in pollution was greater than last year’s overall economic growth. Experts were expecting a rebound in emissions, but the data reveals that the carbon intensity of the economy is increasing and that we are going in the exact opposite direction of what’s needed.

The 2021 numbers have thrown the US off track in the rate of cuts needed to meet the agreed-upon targets articulated in the Paris climate accords. In that deal, countries must attempt to keep the global temperature rise to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels. Scientists warn that the world will face dire impacts beyond that point. Experts also say that we’ve got to come down from the peak, halfway down to zero within the current decade if the US is going to get back on course to keep warming below the 1.5C level.

Travel Continues To Hurt Environment

An increase in cars and trucks traveling on the roads is a big reason for the leap in emissions for 2021. There was a 10% growth in transportation emissions for Americans than the previous year. The optimism generated by the vaccine rollouts led to more travel and increased distribution of goods across the country.

Coal was also a big contributor. Coal is the dirtiest of fossil fuels and it was on a steady decline in the US since 2005. Market conditions made coal uncompetitive, while gas, a less polluting fossil fuel became attractive to utilities as an abundant and cheaper solution.

Even with that, coal still had a 17% increase in use for power generation last year over 2020 numbers. There was also a 6.6% rise in emissions from industrial processes in 2021.

The Need for National Legislation

Climate scientists have been urgently warning us for more than three decades about the dangers of harmful emissions. There has also been a growing amount of disastrous wildfires, floods, and heatwaves affecting the environment but the US still lacks any national legislation to deal with the climate crisis.

Image: Ed Connor/Shutterstock

At Karmagawa and SaveTheReef we were hoping that the pandemic would wake more people up so that real changes could be done for the environment. We need to find a way to decarbonize our economy and not just rely on individuals to change their behavior. Protecting our planet is a big job and we need organizations, including the government, to care and make real systematic changes so that we can reverse the course we are all headed in.

Do you want to know what is going on around the world in regards to the environment and its beautiful animals? Please follow us on Twitter and Instagram and we’ll keep sending you more updates about animals and the environment from around the world. Share our information with your friends and family so that they stay aware, as well.

Do you have stories that you want to expose through video? If so, movies are a powerful way to get your message out.

Our friend and pro filmmaker Amir Zakeri created an online class for us to help the community learn how to create their own movies and documentaries — here’s 50% off.

You’ll be helping important causes, so don’t hesitate. Get started now.

What do you think about the increase in US harmful emissions in 2021? What can we do as a society that would make a real difference towards change? Leave a comment below.

(Cover Image: 24Novembers/Shutterstock)

Related posts
InterviewNews

Karmagawa Interview With Jamie Foxx

1 Mins read
We recently sat down with award-winning actor, comedian and singer Jamie Foxx at his home in Hidden Valley, California to discuss life,…
InterviewNews

Karmagawa Interviews Mike Tyson

1 Mins read
We sat down with legendary boxer Mike Tyson who has recently returned to become a fighting force in the boxing ring, not…
NewsUncategorized

Karmagawa Interview With Denzel Washington

1 Mins read
We were fortunate enough to meet up and chat with iconic actor and filmmaker Denzel Washington, who is not just a living…
Subscribe for updates

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *