Coronavirus & Air Pollution – Burning Issues

Table of Contents

NASA and ESA observations

NASA and European Space Agency (ESA) pollution monitoring satellites have detected significant decreases in nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) over China.
~30% – a dramatic decline over China in February compared to early January.
Nitrogen dioxide is a pollutant which comes primarily from the burning of fossil fuels.
The maps show NO₂values across China from January 1-20, 2020 (before the quarantine) and February 10-25 (during the quarantine).
The timing of that improvement in air quality coincides with the moment that government officials in China put Wuhan, the epicentre of the outbreak, into lockdown.

More than 20 provinces and other regions told businesses to not resume work and observe quarantine measures in February.
In 2019, those parts of China accounted for more than 80% of national GDP, and 90% of exports

Fewer cars are driving, fewer factories are running Blocked transport and movement and massively disrupted business activity across the country.

Over the same period in 2019, China released around 800m tonnes of CO2 (MtCO2).
The current estimates are 600MtCO2.
China’s carbon emissions have dropped by a quarter over the same period.
While that’s a tiny fraction of its overall annual emissions, it’s substantial in a worldwide context, since China is the largest emitter of greenhouse gases.

The virus has disrupted several events.
The Geneva Motor Show was cancelled, after Switzerland banned all public gatherings of more than 1,000 people.
In Houston, the giant annual CeraWeek gathering of oil and gas executives was called off.
Formula One grand prix in Shanghai called off.
The London Book Fair, the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco
Global air traffic decreased by 4.3% in February
More carbon savings will come from the cancellations of international conferences.

Air pollution is estimated to contribute to more than 1 million premature deaths in China each year
Even a short-term reduction in air pollution can make a difference.
The shutdown and consequent reduction of air pollution can potentially save thousands of lives.

Those isolated at home and avoiding crowds may also have been exposed to more indoor air
A big chunk of population in China still uses traditional wood or coal stoves for heating.

The drop in air pollution and carbon emissions is likely to disappear as Chinese industry ramps up again in an attempt to offset its economic losses.
Even during the 2008 global financial crisis, the immediate impact was for China’s emissions to fall.
But then the government response was to roll out the biggest stimulus package in the history of mankind that then drove China’s emissions and global emissions up for years.