Finally, some good news!
There hasn’t been much to smile about lately. With lockdown keeping us all indoors, preventing us from visiting loved ones (unless you’re, ahem, a certain member of the government) and grounding the country to a halt—it hasn’t been an easy ride so far.
But, one tiny bit of brighter news is the continual evidence that this is beneficial for the environment. And, judging by the readings taken by London’s BT Tower, that remains the case in the capital.
Carbon emission readings taken by the 190m tower showed a drop of 58 per cent between the beginning of March 2020 and the beginning of May, with readings taken between 8am-8pm. This data was analysed by the University of Reading and the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (UKCEH). Interestingly, this coincides with data from TfL that showed a 60 per cent drop in traffic levels during the lockdown, since March 23.
“These measurements offer a unique insight into changes in fossil fuel use and carbon dioxide emissions both during the lockdown and as we gradually come out of it,” said Dr Eiko Nemitz from the UKCEH.
“The fact that the reduction in carbon dioxide emissions in central London almost exactly correlates with the reduction in traffic provides further evidence that vehicle emissions are a major source of carbon dioxide in London, and that traffic is closely linked with other carbon-emitting activities such as the heating of shops and offices.”
With the lockdown slowly easing up, hope will remain that pollution readings continue to drop.
See also: 5 Ways The UK Lockdown Has Had A Positive Impact On Our Environment
Featured image: Willy Barton/Shutterstock