With many U.S. cities in varying stages of shutdown for parts of 2020, travel was reduced — and so were greenhouse gas emissions. According to a report by the Rhodium Group, an economics and policy research provider, the drop in annual emissions was the nation’s largest since the World War II era.

The group tracked the real-time energy and emissions impact of the COVID-19 pandemic throughout 2020. It estimates that the “historic shock to economic activity” led to a 10.3% drop in U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in 2020. This finding is based on preliminary economic and energy data.

The reduction means the U.S. is now expected to exceed the target set in a 2009 U.N. agreement known as the Copenhagen Accord of cutting emissions 17% below 2005 levels, with 2020 instead hitting 21.5% below 2005 levels.

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[Source: CBS News]