A study from the
Centre for Research
on Energy and Clean Air
shows 2020 air pollution
dipping to levels far below
2019, caused by so many
Chinese remaining at home
due to lockdown orders.
The dip in March and April 2020,
bounced back in May 2020,
as lockdown orders ended,
and millions returned to work,
according to the study.
"Controlling for meteorological
conditions, national average
PM2.5, SO2 and ozone
concentrations in the past 30 days
were above their pre-crisis levels,
while NO2 concentrations were
at the same levels as
before the crisis, showing that
the rebound cannot be
accounted for by weather factors,"
researchers said of the
rebound in pollutant levels.
"Rebounding
air pollutant levels
are a demonstration of the
importance of prioritizing
green economy and
clean energy in the
recovery from the
COVID-19 crisis. A
ll eyes are on China,
as the first major economy
to return to work
after a lockdown",
the study's abstract
said.
A spike in China's usage
of private cars and
motorcycles in May,
and the reduced use of
public buses and subways,
is one reason for the
pollution spike in May 2020.
"Overall mobility
(passenger
transport
volume)
is still below
last year's levels,
but there has been
a shift from
public transport
to private cars
and a return of
congestion
in urban areas ,
due to worries about
infection risk, which
is not helping,"
the study found.