Self-restraint measures taken to curb the novel coronavirus are believed to have paused greenhouse gas emissions in the skies over Tokyo between January and April, according to a recent report by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency.

Based on JAXA’s earth observation satellites, which monitored carbon dioxide enhancement changes over major urban areas, the agency concluded the level of emissions during the period was smaller than in the same period in previous years.

In April 2016, the carbon dioxide concentration in Tokyo rose by 8 parts per million, but in April this year it only rose by 3 ppm, the report said.