Article
Engineering, Environmental
Anni Li, Haiyang Cui, Yijie Sheng, Jie Qiao, Xiujuan Li, He Huang
Summary: Plastic pollution is a pressing global environmental issue due to the difficulty in degrading post-consumer plastics, which has been further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the increase in plastic-based medical waste. In the post-pandemic era, the challenge is to motivate global action towards a plastic circular economy. This review highlights the threat of plastic pollution during COVID-19 and proposes the concept of regeneration value from plastic waste, along with four pathways to achieve a sustainable circular economy.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Ghaffar Ali, Sawaid Abbas, Faisal Mueen Qamer, Man Sing Wong, Ghulam Rasul, Syed Muhammad Irteza, Naeem Shahzad
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a significant reduction in energy consumption and air pollution globally, with observations in Pakistan showing decreases in pollutants like NO2, CO, and AOD during the lockdown period. Industrial emissions rebounded quickly in some areas, while urban emissions remained reduced for a longer period.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kushal Tibrewal, Chandra Venkataraman
Summary: During the COVID-19 pandemic, reduced anthropogenic activities in India led to significant decreases in ambient fine particulate matter, SO2, and NOx concentrations, while tropospheric O3 levels spiked. The transport sector, power plants, and industry reduced emissions of CO2, primary PM2.5, SO2, and NOx by approximately 50% to 75%, with minimal reductions in warming SLCFs. The study suggests that reductions in NOx to NMVOC emission ratios spatially coincided with observed increases in O3 levels.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Economics
Anh Tuan Hoang, Sandro Nizetic, Aykut Olcer, Hwai Chyuan Ong, Wei-Hsin Chen, Cheng Tung Chong, Sabu Thomas, Suhaib A. Bandh, Xuan Phuong Nguyen
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic has had significant impacts on various industries worldwide, especially on the energy sector. Developing sustainable resources and renewable energy infrastructure is seen as a promising and effective strategy in response to this challenge. Short-term policy priorities should be identified, while mid-term and long-term action plans should be formulated in achieving a more sustainable energy future.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Rubel Biswas Chowdhury, Ayushi Khan, Tashfia Mahiat, Hillol Dutta, Tahana Tasmeea, Afra Bashira Binth Arman, Farzin Fardu, Bidhan Bhuson Roy, Mohammad Mosharraf Hossain, Niaz Ahmed Khan, A. T. M. Nurul Amin, Mohammad Sujauddin
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic has created a unique opportunity for evaluating the environmental impacts of anthropogenic activities, with both positive and negative effects observed. Future sustainable environmental management planning should prioritize policy reforms and new directions based on the lessons learned from this review.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yong Yang, Laijun Zhao, Yujing Xie, Chenchen Wang, Jian Xue
Summary: During the COVID-19 lockdown in China, air pollution decreased significantly but remained significant, with emissions from coal-fired industries being identified as the main source. It is recommended to strengthen emission control measures in the coal industry, optimize mitigation measures, and enhance pollutant governance efforts.
ATMOSPHERIC POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Lingyue Zhang, Hui Li, Wei-Jen Lee, Hua Liao
Summary: This paper investigates the current situation and future development of energy under the influence of COVID-19, identifying research hotspots and proposing future directions. The pandemic has short-term impacts on energy consumption, markets, and air pollution, while potentially having far-reaching effects on renewable energy, climate, and policy. Regression analysis and scenario analysis are commonly used methods, with artificial neural networks being utilized to enhance prediction efficiency for energy demand and price.
SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Luis Badesa, Goran Strbac, Matt Magill, Biljana Stojkovska
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns led to decreased electricity demand in several countries, including Great Britain. The low demand, combined with high renewable output, posed challenges for the stability of the GB system. Increased costs for ancillary services underscored their importance in low-carbon systems, as the penetration of renewables is expected to rise in the future.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yuei-An Liou, Trong-Hoang Vo, Kim-Anh Nguyen, James P. Terry
Summary: Many regions worldwide suffer from heavy air pollution, and this study investigates the improvement in air quality following COVID-19 lockdown measures in China. The analysis reveals a significant decrease in average concentrations of PM2.5 and NO2 during the lockdown period compared to the same period in 2019. These improvements in air quality led to a reduction in premature deaths and welfare costs in 2020.
Article
Business, Finance
Yuting Fu, Hanqing Jin, Haitao Xiang, Ning Wang
Summary: As COVID-19 spreads globally, nations implement lockdown measures to contain the disease, raising debates on the trade-off between economic freedom and public health. Vaccination of a large population is the ultimate solution for the pandemic, but the process is complex. This study extends the SIR model to find optimal decisions balancing economy and public health during vaccination rollout, providing scientific guidance for policymakers on gradually easing lockdown measures.
FINANCE RESEARCH LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Laura Sanchez-de Prada, Jose María Eiros-Bachiller, Alvaro Tamayo-Velasco, Marta Martin-Fernandez, F. Javier Alvarez, Carlos Giner-Baixauli, Eduardo Tamayo, Salvador Resino, Alejandro Alvaro-Meca
Summary: This study investigated the relationship between short-term exposure to environmental factors and COVID-19 outcomes in Spain during the lockdown and post-lockdown period. The results showed that PM2.5 had the strongest association with hospital admissions and mortality, followed by PM10, NO2, and SO2. ICU admissions were also associated with these pollutants. PM2.5 and PM10 were the most critical factors related to ICU mortality.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sun Fei, Raja Asif Wagan, Ahmad Hasnain, Aamir Hussain, Uzair Aslam Bhatti, Ehsan Elahi
Summary: This study assessed the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on air quality in Nanjing, China, and found significant improvements in air quality during the control period. PM10, PM2.5, SO2, NO2, and CO concentrations decreased, while O-3 concentration increased. The findings provide insights for policy-making to control air pollution.
FRONTIERS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Aaron Liu, Wendy Miller, Glenn Crompton, Sherif Zedan
Summary: The study found significant reductions in energy use and peak demands in residential aged care facilities (RACs) in warm regions during the COVID-19 lockdown in Australia. There were variations in peak demand timing in temperate regions, while changes were negligible in hot regions. The limitations of using aggregate data as key performance indicators (KPIs) were revealed, and the development of more nuanced KPIs is recommended.
ENERGY AND BUILDINGS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Kanchan Bahukhandi, Shilpi Agarwal, Shailey Singhal
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a severe impact on lives, but the lockdown measures have led to positive environmental outcomes in the Himalayan region of India. Surface water quality and ambient air quality have significantly improved during the lockdown period.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Christiane Voigt, Jos Lelieveld, Hans Schlager, Johannes Schneider, Joachim Curtius, Ralf Meerkoetter, Daniel Sauer, Luca Bugliaro, Birger Bohn, John N. Crowley, Thilo Erbertseder, Silke Gross, Valerian Hahn, Qiang Li, Mariano Mertens, Mira L. Poehlker, Andrea Pozzer, Ulrich Schumann, Laura Tomsche, Jonathan Williams, Andreas Zahn, Meinrat Andreae, Stephan Borrmann, Tiziana Braeuer, Raphael Doerich, Andreas Doernbrack, Achim Edtbauer, Lisa Ernle, Horst Fischer, Andreas Giez, Manuel Granzin, Volker Grewe, Hartwig Harder, Martin Heinritzi, Bruna A. Holanda, Patrick Joeckel, Katharina Kaiser, Ovid O. Krueger, Johannes Lucke, Andreas Marsing, Anna Martin, Sigrun Matthes, Christopher Poehlker, Ulrich Poeschl, Simon Reifenberg, Akima Ringsdorf, Monika Scheibe, Ivan Tadic, Marcel Zauner-Wieczorek, Rolf Henke, Markus Rapp
Summary: During the spring of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic led to significant reductions in emissions from industry and transportation, resulting in observable changes in atmospheric composition. These changes included reductions in nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide concentrations in urban areas, as well as decreases in total reactive nitrogen, carbon monoxide, and fine mode aerosol concentrations in German cities. The reduction in aerosol mass below 5 km altitude, along with changes in sky color and increased shortwave radiation at the surface, were also observed.
BULLETIN OF THE AMERICAN METEOROLOGICAL SOCIETY
(2022)