The impression I have is that people are miserable because (a) higher unemployment and fear of unemployment, and (b) limited social opportunities because anywhere with people in it has been closed — not specifically because of the lack of flights or commuting.

(Also, most factories are still running; for example in the USA, 16% down between Feb and April and 5.6% down between Feb and Oct [0], which is still almost all being open even in the worst periods).

Much as I like international travel (and despite my mother moving to an Alzheimer’s care home in a country I don’t live in), not flying this year is really low on the list of things that have been troubling me.

I believe human nature will probably cause geo-engineering to backfire; I anticipate a politician will claim that it is pointless and the running costs are too expensive, cancel funding, and proclaim loudly that the lack of immediate severe negative consequence “proves this was the right decision” in much the same way that current politicians who do not wish to spend money on improving the climate make similar claims about winter.

I’m in favour of renewables + storage + global power grid.

[0] https://www.federalreserve.gov/releases/g17/current/