Meanwhile, the decrease in economic activity due to the pandemic has also eased pressure on the environment, which has been evident in the improved air quality. In early April, global daily carbon dioxide emissions fell by 17 percent over the 2019 average. It’s predicted that the overall carbon dioxide discharges in 2020 will drop by four to seven percentage points compared with last year.
The COVID-19 pandemic is forcing humanity to confront daunting challenges that lie ahead and give serious thought to ways of meeting the SDGs and reaching the goals set out in the Paris Agreement. To this end, multilateralism and international cooperation lead the way.