Pandemic’s Cleaner Air Could Reshape What We Know About the Atmosphere

    Clean air is something most take for granted. We are beginning to see studies that show the increases levels of carbon dioxide and other pollutants can cause certain health risks such as asthma and lung disease. The Clean Air Act is one policy that has helped institute policies that enforce restrictions on the amount of pollutants that enter our atmosphere. COVID has been devastating to the economy and for human health. However, there is a slight silver lining. The COVID shutdowns have allowed scientists to conduct large real time experiments of the amount of pollution that humans contribute. 

Many cities around the world have seen the effects of increased pollution. A gray haze that lingers over the cities makes it very evident that the vehicles and factories below may be the culprit. It’s been very difficult to prove exactly how much is being contributed through commuting and other sources of pollution coming from civilization. The shutdowns enacted during this global pandemic have allowed scientists to closely examine the reductions in pollutants. They are then able to compare these reductions and compare them with estimates of reduced travel in major cities. One way they do this is by attaching sensors to small planes and flying over major metropolitan areas along the east coast. They have found a reduction in pollution levels that hasn’t been seen in decades. 

These findings give fuel to the fire for arguments for increasing restrictions that enforce stricter pollution control measures. Many scientists agree that the levels of carbon dioxide being contributed on a daily basis is cause for concern. The levels of pollution that we are seeing today may be what environmental groups are hoping for. This low level of pollution comes with a severe price in loss of production. We have seen huge hits to the economy during the pandemic caused by these lockdowns. The government has been trying to keep the economy running by throwing trillions of dollars into the economy. This is a temporary solution to the problem. 

Maybe once we see a vaccine, we will start to see our cities return back to normal along with the pollution levels that come with it. If government officials wish to keep the low levels of pollution that we saw, we could expect to see more severe restrictions on pollution control. This may hinder the economy until the technology and infrastructure is in place to handle the heightened goals of a greener planet.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/25/climate/coronavirus-clean-air.html