COVID-19 lockdowns cause global air pollution declines.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
; 117(32): 18984-18990, 2020 08 11.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-691222
ABSTRACT
The lockdown response to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused an unprecedented reduction in global economic and transport activity. We test the hypothesis that this has reduced tropospheric and ground-level air pollution concentrations, using satellite data and a network of >10,000 air quality stations. After accounting for the effects of meteorological variability, we find declines in the population-weighted concentration of ground-level nitrogen dioxide (NO2 60% with 95% CI 48 to 72%), and fine particulate matter (PM2.5 31%; 95% CI 17 to 45%), with marginal increases in ozone (O3 4%; 95% CI -2 to 10%) in 34 countries during lockdown dates up until 15 May. Except for ozone, satellite measurements of the troposphere indicate much smaller reductions, highlighting the spatial variability of pollutant anomalies attributable to complex NOx chemistry and long-distance transport of fine particulate matter with a diameter less than 2.5 µm (PM2.5). By leveraging Google and Apple mobility data, we find empirical evidence for a link between global vehicle transportation declines and the reduction of ambient NO2 exposure. While the state of global lockdown is not sustainable, these findings allude to the potential for mitigating public health risk by reducing "business as usual" air pollutant emissions from economic activities. Explore trends here https//nina.earthengine.app/view/lockdown-pollution.
Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Pneumonia, Viral
/
Quarantine
/
Coronavirus Infections
/
Air Pollution
Type of study:
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
Limits:
Humans
Language:
English
Journal:
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
Year:
2020
Document Type:
Article
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