The snowy peak of Kanchenjunga can now be seen from a 100 km away because the slump in global energy demand has cleared the skies

^{Twitter/ Dr. H. S. Chakrabarti}

• Global carbon emissions are likely to record an 8% fall due to the devastating impact on energy demand.
• The IEA predicts global energy demand could decline by as much as 6% in 2020 — which is equivalent to the entire energy demand of India.
• India too witnessed the steepest monthly fall in power demand in the last 13 years.
• Residents in North India say they are seeing mountain ranges for the first time in years due to a massive drop in air pollution in the last two months.

Residents in the area say they are seeing mountain ranges for the first time in years. The skies are so clear that the third highest mountain peak in the world, Kachenkjunga, was visible from a distance of 111 kilometres in Siliguri in West Bengal on May 2.


Previously, people in Jalandhar, Punjab said they were able to see Himalayan mountain range. The mountain range is at least 200 km away from the north Indian city.



All this is because India’s primary source of electricity generation — coal — saw a 32.8% decline during the lockdown period. According to NASA, this has already resulted in North India’s air pollution being at a 20 year low. As most countries are under lockdown due to the coronavirus, global carbon emissions could see its largest fall this year — by as much as 8%.

The lockdown has forced cars to stay off roads and factories to shut down operations. The International Energy Agency (IEA) predicts global energy demand could decline 6% in 2020 — which is equivalent to the entire energy demand of India

Less energy consumption from fossil fuels, especially in the aviation sector, means fewer carbon emissions.

“Such a reduction would be the largest ever, six times larger than the previous reduction of 0.4 gigatons in 2009 due to financial crisis and twice as large as the combined total of all reductions since the end of World War-II,” said the Global Energy Review 2020 by IEA.

Carbon emissions are one of the key drivers of climate change
India too witnessed the steepest monthly fall in power demand in the last 13 years. According to the Power System Operation Corporation (POSOCO), there was a 24% fall in April in overall electricity generation as most of offices and factories remain shut owing to nationwide lockdown.

This is also an opportunity for renewable energy companies to strengthen their stance. According to IEA, low-carbon sources are en route to meet nearly 40% of the world’s electricity demand in 2020.

It’s a temporary victory for climate change as power consumption already seems to be climbing back up as India’s “green zones” see relaxations and manufacturing comes back into the fold.

See also: Weather maps show how India’s Coronavirus lockdown is helping people breathe a little better
India’s air quality has improved so much since the country went on coronavirus lockdown citizens can now see the Himalayas
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