The Van Trump Report

Will Falling Emissions During Covid-19 Add to Farming Hurdles Ahead

Studies conducted by Severe Weather Europe have shown that the world typically sees an increase in CO2 emissions in the colder months in the Northern Hemisphere. However, this year has been different. In fact, there have only been two years since 1975 when CO2 rose less since the first of the year.

If you have not seen the NASA satellite images of pollution reduction in China or the recent tweet we shared of the change in Venice canals over the four weeks of lockdown, you should check them out. Images from above China are showing a drop of -25% over that period of time and now have many wondering what a future powered by “clean energy” could look like following the crisis. Experts are already saying emissions are likely to drop a great deal even when we come back online, thanks mostly to the trend already driven by the closure of coal-fired power plants. Keep in mind, the last time global emissions fell noticeably was in the wake of the Great Recession, from 2008 to 2009 when U.S. GDP fell -4.3% and unemployment doubled from 5 to 10% with housing prices crashing and the stock market losing more than half of its value.

When “social distancing” ends, it will become important for people to get back out there, but governments will most likely play a huge role in how that looks. Should more money and investments be shifted towards low-carbon alternatives and industries, then perhaps we will start to see a larger paradigm shift in how society and business function as a whole.

One thing for certain, the recent coronavirus crisis is only going to exasperate and push more political interest and focus towards keeping us healthy, safe and sustainable. As I’ve mentioned time and time again, we have to think long and hard about how we are going to farm in a world that is increasingly more focused on Climate Change, Clean Energy and Healthy alternatives. Make certain you are paying close attention to the current headlines and the longer-term trends and thinking about how your farm or business will best participate. As I often mention, our “opinion” is one thing, but how we mitigate risk for our family and navigate the growth of our business might need to be another. Cleaner and Healthier is clearly coming our direction! (Source: The Hill, Global News, Atlantic Council, NextWeb)

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