2020


2020 saw the decade begin with the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global social and economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, worldwide lockdowns, and the largest economic recession since the Great Depression in the 1930s. Geospatial World also called 2020 "the worst year in terms of climate change" in part due to major climate disasters worldwide, including major bushfires in Australia and the western United States, as well as extreme tropical cyclone activity affecting large parts of North America. A United Nations progress report published in December 2020 indicated that none of the international Sustainable Development Goals for 2020 were achieved.
The year also saw the rise of social protests and activism amidst the ongoing pandemic. The murder of George Floyd was widely condemned and lead to worldwide protests and unrest that lasted until 2023. In addition, elections commenced in numerous nations in 2020. Most notably, the United States Presidential election where Democrat and eventual 46th president Joe Biden won against incumbent Republican Donald Trump, who refused to concede the presidency, leading directly into an attack on the US capitol early the following year.
Time magazine used its sixth ever X cover to declare 2020 "the worst year ever," although the cover article itself did not go as far, instead saying, "There have been worse years in U.S. history, and certainly worse years in world history, but most of us alive today have seen nothing like this one."

Health

The outbreak of COVID-19 began in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. It spread to other areas of Asia, and then worldwide in early 2020. The World Health Organization declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern on 30 January, and assessed the outbreak had become a pandemic on 11 March.

Events

January