{"id":1326,"date":"2020-04-10T17:58:00","date_gmt":"2020-04-10T17:58:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one-moto.com\/?p=1326"},"modified":"2024-11-21T18:01:25","modified_gmt":"2024-11-21T18:01:25","slug":"coronavirus-has-improved-air-quality","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one-moto.com\/eth\/coronavirus-has-improved-air-quality\/","title":{"rendered":"Coronavirus Has Improved Air Quality"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

From Pandemic to Positive affect. This is becoming a trending topic amongst the industry pioneers, yet how are they related? Here\u2019s our take on what the catalyst could be and indeed how if any impact it\u2019ll have on the future of mobility, the global community and the shift in mindset.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many have already read the statistics surrounding air pollution \u2013 as the greatest killer of humanity \u2013 many have been actively preaching about the long term affects of air pollution in cities and the respiratory affects it has on us all (reducing a lifespan of 2-3 years). So with this in mind, does it create a link between how the coronavirus affects us? Let\u2019s dig deeper\u2026 the governments, WHO and other scientists are proclaiming Covid-19 affects the elderly and those with pre-existing ailments \u2013 those who have been subjected to the poor air quality for decades \u2013 as more of us are evermore aware of air pollution, air quality, CO2, hydrocarbons, CO amongst other toxins, it\u2019s made us think what affects has this pandemic had on our environment and the air we breathe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are some fascinating statistics:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In The Guardian<\/strong><\/a> (7th April 2020) \u201cAir pollution<\/strong><\/a> is linked to significantly higher rates of death in people with Covid-19, according to analysis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The work shows that even a tiny, single-unit increase in particle pollution levels in the years before the pandemic is associated with a 15% increase in the death rate<\/strong>. The research, done in the US, calculates that slightly cleaner air in Manhattan in the past could have saved hundreds of lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Given the large differences in toxic air levels across countries, the research suggests people in polluted areas are far more likely to die from the coronavirus than those living in cleaner areas. The scientists said dirty air was already known to increase the risk of acute respiratory distress syndrome, which is extremely deadly and a cause of Covid-19-related deaths, as well as other respiratory and heart problems.\u201d and it continues, \u201cA small increase in exposure to particle pollution over 15-20 years was already known to increase the risk of death from all causes, but the new work shows this increase is 20 times higher<\/strong> for Covid-19 deaths.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In Time Magazine<\/strong><\/a> this month, reporter Justin Worland<\/strong><\/a> wrote, \u201cIn China, the world\u2019s largest emitter of greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide emissions declined by a quarter<\/strong><\/a> in mid-February from a few weeks earlier, according to an analysis published in Carbon Brief. Scientists recorded<\/strong><\/a> similar declines in other pollutants like nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter in the country, which has spent years trying to clean the air in smog-choked cities. \u201cIn terms of a shift or a change that really happened overnight, this has been unprecedentedly dramatic,\u201d says Lauri Myllyvirta, author of the Carbon Brief report and lead analyst at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Adding to our question, a confirmation is announced, \u201cIn theory, this sharp decline in pollution and carbon emissions is a positive development for the planet and the humans who live on it. For one, air pollution contributes to millions of deaths<\/strong><\/a> across the globe every year, aggravating cardiovascular disease and respiratory health. Clearer air may also deliver some brief relief to those suffering from COVID-19, making it easier to breathe for patients who are struggling<\/strong>, though health experts say that years of exposure to pollution has likely made many people more susceptible to the disease. \u201cThe damage is already done,\u201d said Sascha Marschang, acting secretary general of the European Public Health Alliance in a statement. \u201cYears of breathing in dirty air from traffic fumes and other sources will have weakened the health of all those who are now embroiled in a life or death fight.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What do the stats look like for China \u2013 one of the largest contributors to air pollution? \u2013 carbonbrief.org<\/strong><\/a>, reports \u201cOverall, the figures reinforce an estimate that China\u2019s carbon emissions fell by around 25% over a four-week period<\/strong>, as outlined below, equivalent to around 200m tonnes of CO2 (MtCO2). Demand slowly returned to normal levels over an extended seven-week period, bringing the reduction so far to around 250MtCO2, with emissions some 18% lower<\/strong> than usual levels.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whilst these results are temporary, it raises several other questions:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n