Economic downturns can slow global warming
DOI: 10.1063/PT.5.027493
Nature : Despite the fact that global temperatures have been rising dramatically since the Industrial Revolution, a few subsequent historical events have actually been shown to be responsible for slowing the warming. According to a recent paper published in Nature, economic downturns, such as occurred during the Depression and the two world wars, can cause a slowdown in industry and, hence, a drop in carbon dioxide emissions. Also, the 1987 Montreal Protocol helped ease global warming by banning the use of chlorofluorocarbons, which depleted the ozone in the upper atmosphere and allowed more of the Sun’s heat to warm Earth. The finding is significant in that it shows that efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions can slow the rate of global warming in the short term.
