Environmental Upshot of the Global Crunch

I know that I have commented about this topic in the past, but I think that it is worth raising again.  Many of you will know that airlines have been cutting their flight schedules as a result of the downturn in the world economy. Recent reports suggest that that airlines, as a result of these moves, will be reducing their emissions by some 8%. 

In addition, the crunch in global trade has seen a reduction in merchant vessel traffic of some 35% year on year.  This too should be having a positive effect on emissions.  Add to all of these the reduction in the output of motor vehicles and an increased move to public transport services and we see that the Global financial crunch is certainly serving a bigger environmental purpose.

While the crunch is impacting hugely on most of us in terms of our lifestyles, perhaps what were are seeing is that Capitalism indeed will not permit the over exploitation of the world at large. In the same way that it will not allow fake wealth, perhaps it is serving a greater purpose, to ensure the continuation of the world?

This maybe be a little bit of a naive view, but I do maintain that if we focus on the positive impacts that this crises could have perhaps we can emerge a stronger people as a whole.  Certainly the reductions in emissions must be impacting positively on the world.