COVID-19 Lockdowns Are Having a Major Impact on Air Pollution

After Earther, it’s now NASA’s turn to provide a visual understanding of the impact coronavirus-related lockdowns are having on air pollution in North America.

More specifically, the agency looked at nitrogen dioxide emissions (a source of smog) in the Northeastern part of the U.S., where you’ll typically find some of the most congested cities on the entire continent. Overall, there has been a drop of 30 percent in March, down to the lowest level over the past 15 years.

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The following is a map that shows average nitrogen dioxide emissions for the month of March from 2015-2019:

Now, here’s the same map for March 2020:

The most striking difference between the two time periods can be seen in the New York area, which has become the new epicentre of the COVID-19 pandemic. Reduced traffic is one thing, but most of the emissions savings come from plant shutdowns and other industry-related disruptions.

While NASA’s maps and data can be influenced by weather conditions and must be interpreted with caution, they do offer a different perspective of the current crisis.