NASA Satellites Find First-ever Reduction in Human CO2 Emissions

The COVID-19 epidemic is affecting human activities, including energy use and CO2 emissions. NASA scientists discovered for the first-time regional variations in atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) due to human activity during the Covid-19 pandemic. According to, scientists used a mixture of NASA satellites and atmospheric modeling to evaluate CO2 emissions during an epidemic. They also used data from NASA’s Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2. Research done in the past examined the effects of locking down early in the pandemic. It was found that global CO2 levels declined modestly by 2020.

By combining OCO-2’s high-resolution data with modeling tools and data analysis tools from NASA’s Goddard Earth Observing System, (GEOS), the team was able to identify which monthly changes could be attributed to human activity and which could be attributed to natural causes at a local scale.

NASA’s Earth Observatory recently released a report that shows human CO2 emissions have decreased for the first time in over a decade. The surprising finding was made by analyzing data from NASA satellites, which revealed that the amount of CO2 emitted by humans has decreased by 2.3% since 2013. This indicates that the world may be on track to meet its Paris Agreement goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 0.5%. While there is still much work to be done, this is a promising start and shows that concerted action can make a big difference when it comes to mitigating climate change.

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has announced that global emissions of greenhouse gases have decreased by 1.5 percent in 2016, marking the first time emissions have decreased in eight years. This decrease is due to a number of factors, including a decline in coal usage and increases in renewable energy sources. The reduction may be a sign that humans are finally starting to take action on climate change, and could pave the way for further reductions in future years.

According to the team’s data, the Northern Hemisphere’s human-caused CO2 levels decreased between February and May 2020. It recovered during the summer, leading to a reduction in global emissions of 3% to 13% year-over-year due to NASA satellites. According to the team, the findings could be useful for researchers who are interested in studying the regional effects of climate change and monitoring the results of mitigation efforts.

Within a few months of an event, atmospheric CO2 effects can be identified. This gives quick and actionable information about how natural and human emissions are changing. People stayed home during the Covid epidemic, which led to a significant decrease in the number of vehicles and other forms of transportation. This resulted in significant reductions in greenhouse gases and pollution emissions.

However, Lesley Ott, a NASA research meteorologist, said that a “sharp decrease” in CO2 should be considered in context.

This gas could remain in the atmosphere up to 100 years after its release. Short-term changes in the global carbon cycle may not be noticed. It is a series of absorption and emission that includes both human and natural activities. Only a small fraction of the total CO2 situation in 2020 is represented by the early 2020 CO2 lockdowns.

In late 2019 and early 2020, the IOD experienced a strong positive phase, which resulted in a bumper crop season for Sub-Saharan Africa. It also contributed to Australia’s record-breaking wildfire season. Researchers say both occurrences had a significant effect on the carbon cycle and made it more difficult to spot the signs of Covid lockdowns.