{"id":260788,"date":"2023-06-05T19:23:47","date_gmt":"2023-06-05T17:23:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=260788"},"modified":"2023-06-05T19:23:50","modified_gmt":"2023-06-05T17:23:50","slug":"clearer-skies-warmer-planet-the-paradoxical-impact-of-lower-emissions-amid-a-pandemic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=260788","title":{"rendered":"\u201cClearer Skies, Warmer Planet? The Paradoxical Impact of Lower Emissions Amid a Pandemic\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"723\" height=\"452\" data-attachment-id=\"260791\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?attachment_id=260791\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/0wp2412232.jpg?fit=1920%2C1200&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1920,1200\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"0wp2412232\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/0wp2412232.jpg?fit=723%2C452&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/0wp2412232.jpg?resize=723%2C452&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-260791\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/0wp2412232.jpg?resize=1024%2C640&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/0wp2412232.jpg?resize=300%2C188&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/0wp2412232.jpg?resize=768%2C480&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/0wp2412232.jpg?resize=1536%2C960&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/0wp2412232.jpg?resize=1200%2C750&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/0wp2412232.jpg?w=1920&amp;ssl=1 1920w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/0wp2412232.jpg?w=1446&amp;ssl=1 1446w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 723px) 100vw, 723px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">From <a href=\"https:\/\/wattsupwiththat.com\/\">Watts Up With That?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Climate alarmism often presents a single-sided view of environmental issues, highlighting the dangers of greenhouse gas emissions and promoting drastic measures to curb them. Recently,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.su.se\/english\/news\/reduced-emissions-during-the-pandemic-led-to-increased-climate-warming-1.658706\">however, a study from Stockholm University&nbsp;<\/a>has offered a more nuanced perspective on the issue, challenging the simplistic narrative of \u2018less emissions equals a cooler planet.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to the study, the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting shutdowns in South Asia led to an unexpected consequence \u2013 warmer climate. While reduced air pollution emissions improved air quality, they also unmasked a climate-warming effect. The researchers found that the concentration of short-lived cooling particles, such as sulphur and nitrogen oxides, were greatly reduced, while the concentration of long-lived greenhouse gases remained largely unchanged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These short-lived particles have a cooling effect because they reflect incoming solar radiation back into space. When their concentration decreases, as during the pandemic, this cooling effect diminishes, resulting in increased climate warming. The study reported a 7% increase in solar radiation reaching the Earth\u2019s surface, thereby raising temperatures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The findings highlight a delicate balance and interconnectedness in our atmosphere, underscoring the complexity of climate dynamics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Professor \u00d6rjan Gustafsson, who led the study, explained,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cDuring a couple of decades, emission reductions risk leading to net climate warming due to the \u2018masking\u2019 effect of air particles, before the temperature reduction from reduced greenhouse gas emissions takes over.\u201d<a href=\"https:\/\/www.su.se\/english\/news\/reduced-emissions-during-the-pandemic-led-to-increased-climate-warming-1.658706\">https:\/\/www.su.se\/english\/news\/reduced-emissions-during-the-pandemic-led-to-increased-climate-warming-1.658706<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nevertheless, he urged that we still<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201curgently need a powerful emission reduction.\u201d<a href=\"https:\/\/www.su.se\/english\/news\/reduced-emissions-during-the-pandemic-led-to-increased-climate-warming-1.658706\">https:\/\/www.su.se\/english\/news\/reduced-emissions-during-the-pandemic-led-to-increased-climate-warming-1.658706<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Because of course he did.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Climate alarmism often presents a single-sided view of environmental issues, highlighting the dangers of greenhouse gas emissions and promoting drastic measures to curb them.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121246920,"featured_media":260791,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","_crdt_document":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[691819134,691818056,691818090],"class_list":{"0":"post-260788","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"hentry","7":"category-uncategorized","8":"tag-climate-alarmism","9":"tag-climate-change","10":"tag-climate-warning","12":"fallback-thumbnail"},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/0wp2412232.jpg?fit=1920%2C1200&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paxLW1-15Qg","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":291694,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=291694","url_meta":{"origin":260788,"position":0},"title":"The Absurdity of Measuring Breath for Climate Change","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"12\/17\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"The idiocy of this study and the entire genre of human behavior studies, whether it be\u00a0meat eating,\u00a0or\u00a0owning pets, diverts attention from more pressing environmental issues and misallocates resources that could be better used elsewhere.","rel":"","context":"In \"climate alarmism\"","block_context":{"text":"climate alarmism","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=climate-alarmism"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/0bad-breath-illo.webp?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/0bad-breath-illo.webp?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/0bad-breath-illo.webp?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/0bad-breath-illo.webp?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/0bad-breath-illo.webp?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":265427,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=265427","url_meta":{"origin":260788,"position":1},"title":"EU calls for global talks on climate geoengineering\u00a0risks","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"07\/04\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Another attempt to keep manufactured climate alarm in the news. Toytown CO2 capture gets a mention as part of the mythical \u201afight\u2018 against global warming.","rel":"","context":"In \"Climate warning\"","block_context":{"text":"Climate warning","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=climate-warning"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/0ImageForArticle_1461_16467378472635896.webp?fit=1000%2C667&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/0ImageForArticle_1461_16467378472635896.webp?fit=1000%2C667&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/0ImageForArticle_1461_16467378472635896.webp?fit=1000%2C667&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/0ImageForArticle_1461_16467378472635896.webp?fit=1000%2C667&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":397189,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=397189","url_meta":{"origin":260788,"position":2},"title":"No, WCAX 3, Owning a Dog Is NOT a \u201cWrong Climate Choice\u201d","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"08\/23\/2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Vermont\u2019s WCAX 3 news station posted an article from the Associated Press (AP) titled \u201cPeople often make wrong climate choices, a study says. One surprise is owning a dog,\u201d in which the writers claim that owning a dog is bad for the climate because they are meat eaters. This is\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"Associated Press (AP)\"","block_context":{"text":"Associated Press (AP)","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=associated-press-ap"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/0AQNkKHJT-5MGhtBynWCgDE7iSLolrT46wA5QvTXoFwbnNjC_kIscUBx6YazoZI0KaID0w9B_vvhbB9MUyDvtlP05sm8pt6Q4NEz3IGcGt3FPy16vcDkkxb9Y75QHhAfDSLUMh9qLveB4u-sqXU0cw-uz7N6K-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/0AQNkKHJT-5MGhtBynWCgDE7iSLolrT46wA5QvTXoFwbnNjC_kIscUBx6YazoZI0KaID0w9B_vvhbB9MUyDvtlP05sm8pt6Q4NEz3IGcGt3FPy16vcDkkxb9Y75QHhAfDSLUMh9qLveB4u-sqXU0cw-uz7N6K-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/0AQNkKHJT-5MGhtBynWCgDE7iSLolrT46wA5QvTXoFwbnNjC_kIscUBx6YazoZI0KaID0w9B_vvhbB9MUyDvtlP05sm8pt6Q4NEz3IGcGt3FPy16vcDkkxb9Y75QHhAfDSLUMh9qLveB4u-sqXU0cw-uz7N6K-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/0AQNkKHJT-5MGhtBynWCgDE7iSLolrT46wA5QvTXoFwbnNjC_kIscUBx6YazoZI0KaID0w9B_vvhbB9MUyDvtlP05sm8pt6Q4NEz3IGcGt3FPy16vcDkkxb9Y75QHhAfDSLUMh9qLveB4u-sqXU0cw-uz7N6K-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/0AQNkKHJT-5MGhtBynWCgDE7iSLolrT46wA5QvTXoFwbnNjC_kIscUBx6YazoZI0KaID0w9B_vvhbB9MUyDvtlP05sm8pt6Q4NEz3IGcGt3FPy16vcDkkxb9Y75QHhAfDSLUMh9qLveB4u-sqXU0cw-uz7N6K-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":353617,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=353617","url_meta":{"origin":260788,"position":3},"title":"No, Vox, Measuring Burps and Farts Will Not Save the Planet","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"12\/09\/2024","format":false,"excerpt":"A recent article at Vox, titled \u201cScientists are measuring burps and farts. It could help save the planet,\u201d claims that methane produced by farm animals is causing dangerous global warming, and thus that reducing agriculture-related methane is critical to limiting warming to the 1.5\u00b0C target established for political ends in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"Burps and Farts\"","block_context":{"text":"Burps and Farts","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=burps-and-farts"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/0cow-7957275_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/0cow-7957275_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/0cow-7957275_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/0cow-7957275_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/0cow-7957275_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":332185,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=332185","url_meta":{"origin":260788,"position":4},"title":"Climate Policy Should Not Be Used to Determine Limits on Hospital Emissions","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"06\/09\/2024","format":false,"excerpt":"The turbulence that caused a Singapore Airlines flight to drop 6,000 feet in minutes was blamed on climate change by a hysterical media. Having killed a passenger and injured more than 70 others, the incident was one of the worst of its kind and indeed tragic. However, the connection to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"Climate change\"","block_context":{"text":"Climate change","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=climate-change"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/0cardiac-vascular-surgery.jpg?fit=1200%2C814&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/0cardiac-vascular-surgery.jpg?fit=1200%2C814&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/0cardiac-vascular-surgery.jpg?fit=1200%2C814&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/0cardiac-vascular-surgery.jpg?fit=1200%2C814&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/0cardiac-vascular-surgery.jpg?fit=1200%2C814&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":360939,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=360939","url_meta":{"origin":260788,"position":5},"title":"The BBC is Wrong, Individuals\u2019 Sacrifices Will Not Save a Planet That Doesn\u2019t Need Saving Anyway","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"01\/07\/2025","format":false,"excerpt":"A recent post at the BBC, titled \u201cSeven proven ways to help the planet in 2025,\u201d claims that the planet is threatened by global climate change due to human activity, and lists seven changes people can make in their lives save the planet by curbing emissions. The suggestions include: giving\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"BBC\"","block_context":{"text":"BBC","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=bbc"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/00GettyImages-1139263302.jpg?fit=1200%2C639&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/00GettyImages-1139263302.jpg?fit=1200%2C639&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/00GettyImages-1139263302.jpg?fit=1200%2C639&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/00GettyImages-1139263302.jpg?fit=1200%2C639&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/00GettyImages-1139263302.jpg?fit=1200%2C639&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/260788","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/121246920"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=260788"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/260788\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":260793,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/260788\/revisions\/260793"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/260791"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=260788"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=260788"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=260788"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}