Rethinking Air Quality and Climate Change after COVID-19

• Published in: International journal of environmental research and public health 2020-07, Vol.17 (14), p.5167
• Main Authors: Ching, Joseph, Kajino, Mizuo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aerosols; Air Pollution; Air quality; Air traffic control; Anthropocene; Betacoronavirus - isolation & purification; Cities; Climate Change; Climate system; Communication; Coronavirus Infections - epidemiology; Coronavirus Infections - virology; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; Disease control; Disease transmission; Emergency preparedness; Environmental Pollution; Fatalities; Humans; Indoor air quality; Infections; Interdisciplinary aspects; Outdoor air quality; Ozone; Pandemics; Plumbing fixtures; Pneumonia, Viral - epidemiology; Pneumonia, Viral - virology; Public Health; SARS-CoV-2; Scientists; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Studies; Toilet facilities; Viruses
• ISSN: 1660-4601; 1661-7827; 1660-4601
• DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17145167

The world is currently shadowed by the pandemic of COVID-19. Confirmed cases and the death toll has reached more than 12 million and more than 550,000 respectively as of 10 July 2020. In the unsettling pandemic of COVID-19, the whole Earth has been on an unprecedented lockdown. Social distancing among people, interrupted international and domestic air traffic and suspended industrial productions and economic activities have various far-reaching and undetermined implications on air quality and the climate system. Improvement in air quality has been reported in many cities during lockdown, while the death rate of COVID-19 has been found to be higher in more polluted cities. The relationship between the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and air quality is under investigation. In addition, the battle against COVID-19 could bring short-lived and long-lasting and positive and negative impacts to the warming climate. The impacts on the climate system and the role of the climate in modulating the COVID-19 pandemic are the foci of scientific inquiry. The intertwined relationship among environment, climate change and public health is exemplified in the pandemic of COVID-19. Further investigation of the relationship is imperative in the Anthropocene, in particular, in enhancing disaster preparedness. This short article intends to give an up-to-date glimpse of the pandemic from air quality and climate perspectives and calls for a follow-up discussion.