Effects of lockdowns on pollution around the world
• One-third of the world is under lockdown as a response to the coronavirus pandemic.
• Air traffic is down, fewer cars are on the road, and factories are closed; this means that air pollution has drastically decreased in many parts of the world.
• Milan, Italy, which has historically struggled with smog, is even thinking about ways to reduce air pollution post-pandemic by introducing a plan to reduce car use.
• As humans hunker down indoors, the natural world is positively thriving. Wild animals roam empty streets, and nature is reclaiming urban areas.
• In some places, air pollution has noticeably
reduced, with pollution levels in China down an estimated 25%.
• This makes sense given that a third of the world’s population is under lockdown, and 96% of global destinations have introduced travel restrictions. According to CNN, the TSA reports a 96% drop in air travel, while Allstate CEO Thomas Wilson told CNBC that driving is down between 35% to 50% in the US, depending on the state.
• While the environment may be convalescing during the pandemic, experts don’t think this will last. But, in the meantime, the short-term effects are pretty striking, as these before-and-after pictures show.
Source : insider
