
English: 
>> Sreenivasan: BECAUSE OF
CORONAVIRUS RESTRICTIONS,
MILLIONS OF CARS ARE NO LONGER
ON THE ROADS.
THE SKIES ARE COMPARATIVELY FREE
OF AIRPLANES.
IN FACT, MANY HUMAN ACTIVITIES
THAT CAUSE BOTH AIR POLLUTION
AND THE RELEASE OF PLANET-
WARMING GREENHOUSE GASES HAVE
STOPPED OR SCALED BACK.
DOES THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN
THE AIR WE BREATHE NOW AND IN
THE FUTURE OF OUR CLIMATE?
NEWSHOUR WEEKEND'S CHRISTOPHER
BOOKER REPORTS.
>> Reporter: IN EARLY MARCH,
NASA RELEASED SOME STARTLING
SATELLITE IMAGES COMPARING
NITROGEN DIOXIDE LEVELS IN CHINA
BEFORE AND AFTER THE CORONAVIRUS
LOCKDOWN.
THE FIRST, COMPILED BETWEEN
JANUARY 1 AND JANUARY 20, SHOWS
THE WORLD'S SECOND-LARGEST
ECONOMY CHUGGING AWAY AT FULL
STEAM.
THE SECOND, COMPILED BETWEEN
FEBRUARY AND FEBRUARY 25, SHOWS
THE SAME ECONOMY IN A NEAR
STANDSTILL.
THE REDUCTION IN NITROGEN
DIOXIDE-- THE NOXIOUS GAS THAT
COMES FROM CARS, POWER PLANTS
AND INDUSTRIAL FACILITIES-- WAS
DRAMATIC.
SUDDENLY, THE CHOKING AIR OF

English: 
>> Sreenivasan: BECAUSE OF
CORONAVIRUS RESTRICTIONS,
MILLIONS OF CARS ARE NO LONGER
ON THE ROADS.
THE SKIES ARE COMPARATIVELY FREE
OF AIRPLANES.
IN FACT, MANY HUMAN ACTIVITIES
THAT CAUSE BOTH AIR POLLUTION
AND THE RELEASE OF PLANET-
WARMING GREENHOUSE GASES HAVE
STOPPED OR SCALED BACK.
DOES THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN
THE AIR WE BREATHE NOW AND IN
THE FUTURE OF OUR CLIMATE?
NEWSHOUR WEEKEND'S CHRISTOPHER
BOOKER REPORTS.
>> Reporter: IN EARLY MARCH,
NASA RELEASED SOME STARTLING
SATELLITE IMAGES COMPARING
NITROGEN DIOXIDE LEVELS IN CHINA
BEFORE AND AFTER THE CORONAVIRUS
LOCKDOWN.
THE FIRST, COMPILED BETWEEN
JANUARY 1 AND JANUARY 20, SHOWS
THE WORLD'S SECOND-LARGEST
ECONOMY CHUGGING AWAY AT FULL
STEAM.
THE SECOND, COMPILED BETWEEN
FEBRUARY AND FEBRUARY 25, SHOWS
THE SAME ECONOMY IN A NEAR
STANDSTILL.
THE REDUCTION IN NITROGEN
DIOXIDE-- THE NOXIOUS GAS THAT
COMES FROM CARS, POWER PLANTS
AND INDUSTRIAL FACILITIES-- WAS
DRAMATIC.
SUDDENLY, THE CHOKING AIR OF

English: 
MAJOR CITIES BECAME EASIER TO
BREATHE.
AS OTHER COUNTRIES HAVE HUNKERED
DOWN, DOES THE SLOWING OF
EMISSIONS ALSO PORTEND A RESPITE
FOR GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE?
THOSE WHO HAVE BUILT CAREERS
STUDYING AND ANALYZING THE
ATMOSPHERE SAY, WELL, MAYBE.
>> WE'VE LOOKED AT THAT OVER THE
LAST MONTH, AND IT'S POSSIBLE
IT'S A TINY BIT BELOW WHERE IT
MIGHT OTHERWISE HAVE BEEN.
BUT THERE'S ENOUGH FLUCTUATIONS
THAT ARE NATURAL THAT IT'S--
THAT IT'S HARD TO SAY FOR SURE
THAT IT'S DEVIATED.
>> Reporter: RALPH KEELING IS A
PROFESSOR AT THE SCRIPPS
INSTITUTION OF OCEANOGRAPHY IN
SAN DIEGO.
>> IT'S LIKE TURNING DOWN THE
TAP ON A BATHTUB, AND YOU CAN
SEE THE TAP IS TURNED DOWN JUST
BY LOOKING AT IT.
BUT IT TAKES A WHILE TO NOTICE
THAT THE LEVEL OF A TUB IS
FILLING MORE SLOWLY.
IF IT PERSISTS, WE'LL SEE IT.
BUT IT TAKES A LITTLE WHILE
BEFORE THE RIPPLES CALM DOWN AND
YOU CAN REALLY SEE THE LEVEL
CHANGING.
>> Reporter: KEELING'S FATHER,
CHARLES DAVID KEELING, DEVELOPED
THE FAMED KEELING CURVE, A DAILY
READING OF ATMOSPHERIC CARBON
DIOXIDE LEVELS COLLECTED ON THE
MAUANA LOA VOLCANO ON THE BIG
ISLAND OF HAWAII.
IT PROVIDES A RECORD OF GLOBAL

English: 
MAJOR CITIES BECAME EASIER TO
BREATHE.
AS OTHER COUNTRIES HAVE HUNKERED
DOWN, DOES THE SLOWING OF
EMISSIONS ALSO PORTEND A RESPITE
FOR GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE?
THOSE WHO HAVE BUILT CAREERS
STUDYING AND ANALYZING THE
ATMOSPHERE SAY, WELL, MAYBE.
>> WE'VE LOOKED AT THAT OVER THE
LAST MONTH, AND IT'S POSSIBLE
IT'S A TINY BIT BELOW WHERE IT
MIGHT OTHERWISE HAVE BEEN.
BUT THERE'S ENOUGH FLUCTUATIONS
THAT ARE NATURAL THAT IT'S--
THAT IT'S HARD TO SAY FOR SURE
THAT IT'S DEVIATED.
>> Reporter: RALPH KEELING IS A
PROFESSOR AT THE SCRIPPS
INSTITUTION OF OCEANOGRAPHY IN
SAN DIEGO.
>> IT'S LIKE TURNING DOWN THE
TAP ON A BATHTUB, AND YOU CAN
SEE THE TAP IS TURNED DOWN JUST
BY LOOKING AT IT.
BUT IT TAKES A WHILE TO NOTICE
THAT THE LEVEL OF A TUB IS
FILLING MORE SLOWLY.
IF IT PERSISTS, WE'LL SEE IT.
BUT IT TAKES A LITTLE WHILE
BEFORE THE RIPPLES CALM DOWN AND
YOU CAN REALLY SEE THE LEVEL
CHANGING.
>> Reporter: KEELING'S FATHER,
CHARLES DAVID KEELING, DEVELOPED
THE FAMED KEELING CURVE, A DAILY
READING OF ATMOSPHERIC CARBON
DIOXIDE LEVELS COLLECTED ON THE
MAUANA LOA VOLCANO ON THE BIG
ISLAND OF HAWAII.
IT PROVIDES A RECORD OF GLOBAL

English: 
CO2 EMISSIONS.
>> THE RECORD STARTS IN 1958,
AND IT SHOWS VERY DRAMATICALLY
AND CLEARLY THIS-- THIS-- THIS
OSCILLATING PATTERN AND AN
OVERALL RISE.
SO, IT'S A REALLY BEAUTIFUL
INDICATOR OF HOW THE WORLD IS
CHANGING WITH RESPECT TO CARBON
DIOXIDE.
>> Reporter: LOOKING BACK AT ANY
HISTORICAL COMPARISONS-- WHICH,
OF COURSE ARE SOMEWHAT
DIFFICULT-- HOW MIGHT THIS
PERIOD COMPARE TO, SAY, THE 2008
RECESSION OR OTHER MAJOR
SEISMIC EVENTS THAT MAYBE
ALTERED THE ATMOSPHERE?
>> WELL, IF YOU GO TO THE 2008
ECONOMIC TURNDOWN, I THINK THE
GLOBAL REDUCTION IN FOSSIL FUEL
BURNING WAS AT THE LEVEL OF 1%
OR 2% OUT OF THE TOTAL.
SO, IT'S ACTUALLY RATHER SMALL.
NOW, I EXPECT THAT THE REDUCTION
IN EMISSIONS THIS TIME AROUND
WILL BE SUBSTANTIALLY LARGER.
>> Reporter: WHAT HAPPENS WHEN
WE RETURN TO-- IF WE RETURN TO
BUSINESS AS USUAL?
WHEN PEOPLE START FLYING AGAIN?
WHEN BUSINESSES START TRAVELING
AGAIN?
>> YEAH.
I MEAN, IF THE ECONOMY COMES
BACK, WE'LL BE SORT OF BACK
WHERE WE WERE BEFORE, EXCEPT
FOR, YOU KNOW, THE LESSONS WE'VE
LEARNED OR PATTERNS OF BEHAVIOR
THAT HAVE CHANGED.

English: 
CO2 EMISSIONS.
>> THE RECORD STARTS IN 1958,
AND IT SHOWS VERY DRAMATICALLY
AND CLEARLY THIS-- THIS-- THIS
OSCILLATING PATTERN AND AN
OVERALL RISE.
SO, IT'S A REALLY BEAUTIFUL
INDICATOR OF HOW THE WORLD IS
CHANGING WITH RESPECT TO CARBON
DIOXIDE.
>> Reporter: LOOKING BACK AT ANY
HISTORICAL COMPARISONS-- WHICH,
OF COURSE ARE SOMEWHAT
DIFFICULT-- HOW MIGHT THIS
PERIOD COMPARE TO, SAY, THE 2008
RECESSION OR OTHER MAJOR
SEISMIC EVENTS THAT MAYBE
ALTERED THE ATMOSPHERE?
>> WELL, IF YOU GO TO THE 2008
ECONOMIC TURNDOWN, I THINK THE
GLOBAL REDUCTION IN FOSSIL FUEL
BURNING WAS AT THE LEVEL OF 1%
OR 2% OUT OF THE TOTAL.
SO, IT'S ACTUALLY RATHER SMALL.
NOW, I EXPECT THAT THE REDUCTION
IN EMISSIONS THIS TIME AROUND
WILL BE SUBSTANTIALLY LARGER.
>> Reporter: WHAT HAPPENS WHEN
WE RETURN TO-- IF WE RETURN TO
BUSINESS AS USUAL?
WHEN PEOPLE START FLYING AGAIN?
WHEN BUSINESSES START TRAVELING
AGAIN?
>> YEAH.
I MEAN, IF THE ECONOMY COMES
BACK, WE'LL BE SORT OF BACK
WHERE WE WERE BEFORE, EXCEPT
FOR, YOU KNOW, THE LESSONS WE'VE
LEARNED OR PATTERNS OF BEHAVIOR
THAT HAVE CHANGED.

English: 
SO, I THINK IT IS MOSTLY AN
EXPERIMENT IN HUMAN BEHAVIOR.
THE NATURAL WORLD DOES NOT
RESPOND TO CHANGES IN GREENHOUSE
GASES ON A MONTHLY OR YEARLY
TIMEFRAME.
IT'S REALLY RESPONDING ON A
DECADAL TIMEFRAME.
SO, THERE'S-- THERE'S NO REAL
SHOCK FROM THE CHANGE IN
GREENHOUSE GASES ON THE NATURAL
WORLD.
IF WE COME OUT ON A DIFFERENT
TRAJECTORY, THEN-- THEN, IN TEN
YEARS HENCE, WE'LL BE IN A
DIFFERENT PLACE.
>> I ACTUALLY THINK THAT THERE'S
A LOT THAT WE CAN LEARN FROM
THIS EXPERIENCE.
>> Reporter: DR. PHILIP DUFFY IS
THE PRESIDENT AND EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF THE WOODS HOLE
RESEARCH CENTER.
>> AND IN THE CASE OF CLIMATE
CHANGE, THERE IS THIS FALSE
ARGUMENT, THIS FALSE DICHOTOMY
OF, WELL, WE HAVE-- WE HAVE A
CHOICE BETWEEN HAVING A SAFE
CLIMATE AND A HEALTHY ECONOMY.
AND IN THE CASE OF CLIMATE
CHANGE, I KNOW THAT THAT'S JUST
WRONG, THAT IT'S JUST THE
OPPOSITE.
IN FACT, THE ONLY WAY TO HAVE A
HEALTHY ECONOMY IS TO HAVE A
SAFE AND STABLE CLIMATE.
>> Reporter: PRIOR TO JOINING
WOODS HOLE, DUFFY WAS A SENIOR
POLICY ANALYST IN THE WHITE

English: 
SO, I THINK IT IS MOSTLY AN
EXPERIMENT IN HUMAN BEHAVIOR.
THE NATURAL WORLD DOES NOT
RESPOND TO CHANGES IN GREENHOUSE
GASES ON A MONTHLY OR YEARLY
TIMEFRAME.
IT'S REALLY RESPONDING ON A
DECADAL TIMEFRAME.
SO, THERE'S-- THERE'S NO REAL
SHOCK FROM THE CHANGE IN
GREENHOUSE GASES ON THE NATURAL
WORLD.
IF WE COME OUT ON A DIFFERENT
TRAJECTORY, THEN-- THEN, IN TEN
YEARS HENCE, WE'LL BE IN A
DIFFERENT PLACE.
>> I ACTUALLY THINK THAT THERE'S
A LOT THAT WE CAN LEARN FROM
THIS EXPERIENCE.
>> Reporter: DR. PHILIP DUFFY IS
THE PRESIDENT AND EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF THE WOODS HOLE
RESEARCH CENTER.
>> AND IN THE CASE OF CLIMATE
CHANGE, THERE IS THIS FALSE
ARGUMENT, THIS FALSE DICHOTOMY
OF, WELL, WE HAVE-- WE HAVE A
CHOICE BETWEEN HAVING A SAFE
CLIMATE AND A HEALTHY ECONOMY.
AND IN THE CASE OF CLIMATE
CHANGE, I KNOW THAT THAT'S JUST
WRONG, THAT IT'S JUST THE
OPPOSITE.
IN FACT, THE ONLY WAY TO HAVE A
HEALTHY ECONOMY IS TO HAVE A
SAFE AND STABLE CLIMATE.
>> Reporter: PRIOR TO JOINING
WOODS HOLE, DUFFY WAS A SENIOR
POLICY ANALYST IN THE WHITE

English: 
HOUSE OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY, WHERE HE HELPED
FORMULATE CLIMATE POLICY IN THE
OBAMA ADMINISTRATION.
DO YOU THINK THIS PERIOD WILL IN
ANY WAY ALTER THE POLITICAL
CONVERSATION THAT SURROUNDS
MITIGATION EFFORTS?
>> WELL, I HOPE IT DOES.
I THINK THE MOST VIABLE LESSON
IS: LISTEN TO THE EXPERTS.
IN THE CASE OF CLIMATE CHANGE,
THE EXPERTS HAVE BEEN JUMPING UP
AND DOWN ABOUT THIS FOR DECADES.
THIS HASN'T GOTTEN ANY TRACTION,
AND I SUSPECT THE FUNDAMENTAL
REASON IS THAT IT'S HARD FOR
PEOPLE TO GRASP THAT THAT COULD
ACTUALLY HAPPEN BECAUSE WE'VE
NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT.
AND YET, COVID19 IS AN EXAMPLE
OF THE UNIMAGINABLE CAN HAPPEN.
HERE IT IS.
I MEAN, WE KNEW THEORETICALLY
THIS WAS POSSIBLE, BUT NOBODY--
ON SOME EMOTIONAL LEVEL, I THINK
PEOPLE DIDN'T REALLY BELIEVE IT.
WE MUST NOT HAVE BECAUSE WE
WEREN'T READY FOR.
AND HERE WE ARE.
>> Reporter: WHILE THE U.S.
AND MUCH OF EUROPE REMAIN AT
STANDSTILL, CHINA HAS STARTED TO
EASE RESTRICTIONS.
CARS ARE BACK ON THE ROAD, AND

English: 
HOUSE OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY, WHERE HE HELPED
FORMULATE CLIMATE POLICY IN THE
OBAMA ADMINISTRATION.
DO YOU THINK THIS PERIOD WILL IN
ANY WAY ALTER THE POLITICAL
CONVERSATION THAT SURROUNDS
MITIGATION EFFORTS?
>> WELL, I HOPE IT DOES.
I THINK THE MOST VIABLE LESSON
IS: LISTEN TO THE EXPERTS.
IN THE CASE OF CLIMATE CHANGE,
THE EXPERTS HAVE BEEN JUMPING UP
AND DOWN ABOUT THIS FOR DECADES.
THIS HASN'T GOTTEN ANY TRACTION,
AND I SUSPECT THE FUNDAMENTAL
REASON IS THAT IT'S HARD FOR
PEOPLE TO GRASP THAT THAT COULD
ACTUALLY HAPPEN BECAUSE WE'VE
NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT.
AND YET, COVID19 IS AN EXAMPLE
OF THE UNIMAGINABLE CAN HAPPEN.
HERE IT IS.
I MEAN, WE KNEW THEORETICALLY
THIS WAS POSSIBLE, BUT NOBODY--
ON SOME EMOTIONAL LEVEL, I THINK
PEOPLE DIDN'T REALLY BELIEVE IT.
WE MUST NOT HAVE BECAUSE WE
WEREN'T READY FOR.
AND HERE WE ARE.
>> Reporter: WHILE THE U.S.
AND MUCH OF EUROPE REMAIN AT
STANDSTILL, CHINA HAS STARTED TO
EASE RESTRICTIONS.
CARS ARE BACK ON THE ROAD, AND

English: 
PEOPLE ARE GOING TO WORK.
AND AS THIS ANIMATION FROM THE
EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY SHOWS,
NITROGEN DIOXIDE LEVELS HAVE
STARTED TO RETURN, AS WELL.

English: 
PEOPLE ARE GOING TO WORK.
AND AS THIS ANIMATION FROM THE
EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY SHOWS,
NITROGEN DIOXIDE LEVELS HAVE
STARTED TO RETURN, AS WELL.
