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Carbon dioxide emissions have ‘rapidly’ increased as country’s around the world begin to ease the coronavirus (Covid-19) lockdown.
According to a study published in Nature, daily global CO2 emissions decreased by 17 percent during forced confinements. Individual countries saw levels plummet as much as 26 percent.
Global CO2 levels have since spiked and are now only down by 5 percent compared to last year, which has been credited to increased human activity and travel.
The U.K has also seen its daily emissions jump from -31 percent in early April, before the country had loosened its lockdown rules, to -23 percent this week.
‘Very fast’
According to The Guardian, lead author of the study and professor of climate change at the University of East AngliaCorinne Le Quéré said: “Things have happened very fast.
“Very few countries still have stringent confinement. We expected emissions to come back, but that they have done so rapidly is the biggest surprise.
‘A disaster’
Le Quéré also described road transport as ‘the most responsive sector’ and slammed the U.K. government hasn’t acted fast enough in trying to change people’s driving habits.
“It would be terrible if we carry on going back to normal. It would be a disaster,” she added.
