The shutdowns to fight COVID-19 are also having a large impact on air quality around the world.
Since the start of March, the city of Delhi in India has had only about half as much air pollution as one would expect for this time of year.
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Since the start of March, the city of Delhi in India has had only about half as much air pollution as one would expect for this time of year.
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As it happens, air pollution already tends to be lower March to September than it is during periods of colder weather.
So the impact of the shutdowns on air pollution is likely less now than it might have been in winter.
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So the impact of the shutdowns on air pollution is likely less now than it might have been in winter.
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Satellites have shown us that shutting down the economy has led to improving air quality all around the world.
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Sadly, outdoor air pollution, especially fine particulate matter, has been contributing to millions of deaths each year. who.int/airpollution/a…
Any improvement, even short-lived ones, have some benefit.
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Any improvement, even short-lived ones, have some benefit.
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The main aim of the lockdowns is to prevent COVID-19 from killing millions.
However, in China and India, which also have chronically poor air quality, the shutdowns may have the side effect of preventing of tens of thousands of air quality related deaths.
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However, in China and India, which also have chronically poor air quality, the shutdowns may have the side effect of preventing of tens of thousands of air quality related deaths.
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