Air Pollution

Improved air quality in China during the coronavirus quarantine significantly improved the country’s air quality and, in tuen, prevented thousands of pollution-related deaths. Credit: Dreamstime Soon after coronavirus appeared, an all-encompassing quarantine put into effect by the Chinese government slowed the spread of the disease and saved lives, but the…

Daily averages of observed and weather-normalised concentrations of NO₂ in Wuhan, China, between January 2013 and February 2020. Author provided The COVID-19 lockdown in Wuhan, China, resulted in a 63% reduction in nitrogen dioxide concentrations, according to our new research. We have calculated that this drop in air pollution may…

When the Amazon Rainforest burns, illegal loggers and miners are typically to blame. In the past, indigenous communities would patrol their lands every week or fortnight to find criminals looking to loot the forest. These patrols—usually made up of two to six men—deterred illegal land-grabbers from deforesting indigenous territories, which…

Host: Shamini BundellWelcome back to the Nature Podcast. This week, Elisabeth Bik, the scientific image detective…Host: Nick HoweAnd how air pollution can form in cities. I’m Nick Howe.Host: Shamini BundellAnd I’m Shamini Bundell.Host: Shamini BundellFirst up, reporter Adam Levy has made contact with a scientific sleuth.Interviewer: Adam LevyElisabeth Bik spends…

With many economies locked down to slow the spread of coronavirus, people from Beijing to Los Angeles have noticed bluer skies and less smog. Photos from Punjab and Nairobi reveal mountains that had been shrouded in haze for years. Satellites show cleaner air extending across broad swaths of Asia, Europe…

NEW DELHI: The much-awaited vehicle scrappage policy would help in curbing air pollution, reducing fuel consumption and curtailing fatalities in road accidents, while generating demand for new vehicles in the country amid the coronavirus pandemic, industry sources said. The proposed scrappage policy requires support from both the central and state…

Factories in China have ramped up production after the lifting of lockdowns and strict travel restrictions The coronavirus pandemic had cleared smog from China's skies for months, but air pollution has returned with a vengeance as factories rush to ramp up output after going idle during the outbreak. Levels of…

In these figures, Louisiana State University meterologist Paul Miller shows the marked differences in nitrogen dioxide levels, aerosol optical depth and surface temperatures between January and February 2020 in China during the COVID-19 pandemic. Credit: Paul Miller, LSU. The change in air pollution in China from January to February as…

Credit: CC0 Public Domain The coronavirus is having another unintended effect on California's environment, hindering the enforcement of clean-air rules that could help protect people's lungs during the pandemic. Field inspections have been halted since mid-March at the California Air Resources Board, which enforces rules on trucks, ships and other…

Quiet New York City streets during the pandemic.Photo: GettyNew York City is finally rolling out its open streets initiative with a vision of eventually closing off 100 miles to vehicles to help promote health and access to the outdoors amid the coronavirus pandemic. Its first phase kicks off Monday, but…