NASA Finds Significant Decreases in China’s Air Pollution
NASA finds that COVD-19 has drastically reduced China’s air pollution. Through usage of the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) on NASA’s Aura satellite, NASA measured NO2 (nitrogen dioxide) levels in Wuhan, China. Nitrogen dioxide is emitted from the burning of fuel, primarily from transportation vessels and power plants. Every year, celebrations of the Lunar New Year normally result in business closures from late January to early February. During this time, NO2 levels drop and then eventually rise again. However, during January and February of 2020, China saw a reduction in NO2 levels of 10% to 30% below averages and expectations. Additionally, NO2 levels have not rebounded since the conclusion of the Lunar New Year Celebration.
Scientists partially attribute the NO2 reduction to quarantine measures implemented to slow the spread of COVID-19. “China’s large manufacturing-based economy burns 95% of the countries coal.” Since COVID-19, there has been a drastic decrease in coal consumption and traffic. “If you close down factories and reduce the number of cars on the road, you are gong to reduce the pollution levels.” A recent report notes, that “by January 23, 2020, Chinese authorities had shut down transportation going into and out of Wuhan, as well as local businesses, in order to reduce the spread of the disease.”
Discussion Questions:
- Predict the impact you believe COVID-19 will have on pollution in the United States. In what ways may the COVID-19 impact on pollution in the United States be similar and/or different than in China?
- Define the term externalities. Discuss the negative externalities of highly productive metropolitan areas, such as pollution and congestion.
Sources: Earth Observatory “Airborne Nitrogen Dioxide Plummets Over China.” NASA Earth Observatory images by Joshua Stevens, using modified Copernicus Sentinel 5P data processed by the European Space Agency. Story by Kasha Patel with assistance from NASA Aura and NASA SPORT science teams. The Wall Street Journal “What China’s Pollution Says About Coronavirus and the Economy.”