“Copenhagen climate conference little mermaid” by erik de haan rotterdam is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0
During the Coronavirus (COVID-19) isolation, it seems that the environment is reaping the benefits due to the reduction of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) that we would normally release into the air throughout our day-to-day routine of going to work, bringing the kids to school, or going shopping. Thus, this has reduced the rate of global warming, for the time being, and has given the Earth a break and time to breathe- the skies are more blue and wild animals have come out of their nesting.
According to the Environment Protection Agency, “Nitrogen dioxide is yellow-brown gas emitted by motor vehicles, power plants, and industrial facilities. It can cause respiratory problems like coughing, asthma, and difficulty breathing,” Therefore, nitrogen dioxide causes air pollution.
The World Health Organisation, also known as WHO, said air pollution is linked to many other health related problems, such as “heart disease, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections in children.”
CNN reported, “pollution levels in China, where the Coronavirus outbreak started, has dramatically reduced. NASA’s pollution monitoring satellites detected a significant decrease in nitrogen dioxide (NO2). In addition to this, analysis by Carbon Brief revealed the coronavirus has temporarily reduced China’s CO2 emissions by a quarter.”
NASA Earth Observatory Satellite comparison of China’s carbon dioxide reducing
With regards to the European continents, the European Space Agency (ESA) reported “a reduction in nitrogen dioxide (NO2) emissions. The ESA say this reduction is particularly visible in northern Italy, which coincides with its nationwide lockdown. “
European Space Agency- Satellite comparison of Italy’s carbon dioxide reducing
Tony McNally, Managing Director of Climate Change Solutions, addresses the pandemic Coronavirus with the fact that if we don’t take climate emergency seriously, we could also be inviting other new insects that could come with new diseases that we are not equipped to handle, because we do not yet have a cure for these new possible diseases, which is a lot like the pandemic disease we are now currently dealing with – the Coronavirus.
Tony McNally, Managing Director of Climate Change Solutions, interview
“The impact of global warming is the projection that were going to find more and more alien diseases coming our way and therefore, it’s not just the current Coronavirus that got to consider, it’s the fact that there are now more evidence of insects that we are not familiar with which we haven’t got immune systems to their bites that are going our way and so there is a relationship between Climate Change and health and well-being of our people.”
Tony McNally, Managing Director of Climate Change Solutions
In conclusion, not only has self-isolation helped save lives, but is has also helped to reduce the pollutants, which could potentially prevent new diseases from coming into our lives.
