In the midst of China's COVID-19 epidemic, the conditions for an unprecedented climate experiment have emerged. "In terms of global emissions, it's the biggest story of the year. Experts point to the 2008 global financial crisis as another moment when an unintended series of circumstances resulted in major reductions in carbon emissions. For years, experts have debated how to separate growth from carbon emissions, a concept known as de-coupling. There are concerns that carbon emissions could rise sharply if China pushes for rapid economic recovery when the epidemic subsides.

Source: CBC News February 28, 2020 09:00 UTC