Here’s how lockdowns have improved air quality around the world

Apr 20, 2020

A view of almost empty main road amid the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Jakarta, Indonesia, March 31, 2020. REUTERS/Willy Kurniawan - RC2YUF9M1T5U

Empty roads are a common result across the globe of coronavirus lockdowns. Image: REUTERS/Willy Kurniawan

Paul Monks

Professor of Atmospheric Chemistry and Earth Observation Science, University of Leicester

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As new daily cases of COVID-19 reached their peak in China, air pollution plummeted. Image: ESA/NASA

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The average concentration of NO₂ over northeastern US in March of 2015-19 (top) and the average concentration measured in March 2020 (bottom). Image: EPA-EFE/NASA

Surface concentrations of nitrogen dioxide over northern Italy, January 31 versus March 15 2020. Image: Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS); ECMWF

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