How will coronavirus change the world?

Coronavirus will help to mitigate climate change

Question: How will coronavirus change the world?
Position‹2 of 5›: Coronavirus will impact the climate crisis
Argument1 of 2›: Coronavirus will help to mitigate climate change

Greenhouse gas emissions have declined dramatically as the outbreak has reduced travel and industrial activities.

The argument

Since the onset of coronavirus, we have seen huge impacts on pollution levels. For instance, NASA maps of north-eastern China show a colossal drop in nitrogen dioxide rates in areas in which factories have not re-opened after Lunar New Year or in which people are on lock-down. Global air travel decreased by 4.3% in February 2020. These benefits are only likely to increase as more and more places go on lock-down and less and less travel occurs. This could have a significant impact on the pace of climate change, and do much to mitigate the earth's usual pollution levels and its impact on the environment.

Premises

[P1]Since coronavirus began, pollution has dropped sharply, with NASA maps showing a colossal fall in nitrogen dioxide over locked-down regions of China. [P2] Global air travel and other emissions-heavy activity fell as lockdowns spread. [P3] As more places lock down and travel declines further, these reductions are likely to grow. [C] Therefore, coronavirus will help to mitigate climate change.

Counter-arguments

These drops in pollution are not nearly enough to mitigate climate change, as history demonstrates. While other periods in history have previously caused temporary drops in emission rates, like the Great Recession or WWII, this does not change the overall upward trend of climate change. It would take much more than a short period of lowered emissions to mitigate the seriousness of climate change.

Rejecting the premises

[Rejecting P2] This drop in pollution is not enough to significantly mitigate climate change.

The argument

Premises

Counter-arguments

Rejecting the premises

Further reading