When the first news trickled out of China that people in a city many westerners had never even heard of were catching an unknown virus, few could have anticipated where we are today. Since the outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19) lives across the globe have drastically changed, impacting societies, economies and the environment. 

While lockdowns have been in place, a marked improvement in air pollution has been documented. Most notable is China, where NASA data shows a significant drop in particle pollution, since the lockdown which began in January. 

With half the amount of air travel and over a third of the global population in lockdown, countries previously hidden in pollution are seeing blue skies for the first time in years; the northern cities of India can now see the Himalayan mountain range, a sight which due to pollution has been hidden for years. 

However scientists warn the improvements seen are only temporary, stating climate change policies and research should not be stalled due to the pandemic.

AIR POLLUTION REDUCED SINCE LOCKDOWN

More than a fifth of the world's population is under lockdown, workers have been told to work from home unless you are an essential worker, which has in turn reduced the use of transport. This has demonstrated to companies and their employees that their work can be done just as well from home. 

Showing that travelling to an office everyday is perhaps unnecessary, scientists expect this may change behaviours after the pandemic. These structures put in place by governments to reduce the spread of the virus, if continued, will have long term effects on the reductions of emissions. 

In an interview with The Financial Times, Ralph Keeling (Professor of Atmospheric Analysis at the Scripps Institute) noted that this would be the first time an economic crisis has ever shown up on the atmospheric carbon dioxide measurements known as The Keeling Curve. Professor Keeling also stated that the atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration had only ever risen since the Scripps Institute research began in 1958. 

A reduction in industrial emissions, particularly nitrogen oxide (a gas produced from power plants and car engines believed to aggravate respiratory illnesses), has been noted and this is widely attributed to the slowdown in industristrial activity as a result of lockdowns. In the UK road traffic accounts for 80% of nitrogen oxide emissions - on average a diesel car spews out 52 milligrams of nitrogen oxide every kilometre driven. 

SCIENTISTS VOICE CONCERN THAT POLLUTION MAY INCREASE POST COVID-19

Scientists fear that after the pandemic, there may be a sudden increase in emissions and pollutants as countries attempt to shore up their flagging economies. This may also see climate change policies fall by the wayside as “more immediate” concerns take precedence. 

Inger Anderson, head of the UN Environment Programme, says that this pandemic “is not a silver lining” for climate change - the visible reductions in air pollutants are only temporary and are only occurring due to a huge economic slowdown and human distress. 

Additionally, he stated there will be a considerable amount of harmful waste from COVID-19, in particular huge quantities of single use plastics generated by the outbreak and it is essential therefore to not presume there can be a temporary hold on climate research and policies. 

This was echoed by Whim Thiery, a climate scientist at Vrije Universiteit Brussel, who explains the clear skies are deceptive, there’s no longevity in regards to combating climate change purely from COVID-19. 

FACING THE REALITY OF CLIMATE CHANGE

Not long after the Northern Italian lockdown began, pictures of swans and fish in the canals of Venice went viral, with further images of wildlife returning to areas which they had previously been dislodged also emerging. The pictures shared by many, demonstrating their astonishment of the effects humans have on wildlife, also revealed a growing awareness of climate change. 

Although later deemed “Fake News” by National Geographic, who stated these animals often inhabit these areas, there had already been an evident shift in people's reaction to wildlife. People were engaging with these pictures and climate change, which they may not have done previously, noticing the beauty of these animals in a world of lockdown. 

Perhaps these images will linger in the minds of people as they return to life after lockdown, reminding them of the impact that humans are having on the environment and nudge them towards improving their habits. Or perhaps people will slip back into their fast-paced lives, oblivious to the animals and wildlife suffering from our disposable consumerist society. 

French President Emmanuel Macron commented “once we get out of this people will no longer accept breathing dirty air”, adding there would be more pressure from the public to radically combat climate change.

The environment is sending us a message UN chief Anderson warns, stating “the natural world is buckling under humanity, and with it’s fall will come ours.” Despite the reductions in air pollution since the outbreak, scientists stress this cannot be seen as a resolution to climate change. 

The blue skies are temporary unless we put in place long term structures to combat climate change. 

Written by Bronwen Latham

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