Products of the Pandemic: Air pollution in China, India, Italy

By Megan Hsu | Photography by Ashley Gatt | Layout by Airla Fan

What would the world look like in 2050? Flooded megacities, forced migration and intensified surface ozone levels. As people are suffering from catastrophic losses in Covid-19 and extreme weather events, climate adaptation policies are needed more than ever.

Facing the climate change abyss, the Covid-19 pandemic highlights the global pressing need to reduce air pollution. In recent years, South Asian and East Asian countries continue to dominate the list of the most polluted places in the world, particularly China, India and Pakistan share 49 of the 50 most polluted cities globally. According to IQAir’s 2020 World Air Quality Report, anthropogenic emissions from the industrial and transport sector decreased during lockdowns, with better air quality in 65% of global cities in 2020. Based on a study conducted by PNAS, Covid-19 lockdowns contributed to a fall in the concentration of nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter levels by up to 60% and 31% respectively in 34 countries. It is important to know that even though Covid-19 may have indirectly led to a reduction in air pollution worldwide, the European Society for Cardiology affirms that 15% of deaths globally from Covid-19 could possibly be attributed to long-term exposure to air pollution.

Tackling global warming is a challenge without precedent, from denial to decarbonisation China’s air pollution presents a dire social, economic and environmental problem. However, China’s leaders face significant challenges balancing economic growth and the need for improving environmental and social welfare. China’s sources of air pollution mainly come from biomass burning, production of coal, the concentration of motorized vehicles, electric power plants and more. As one of the greatest carbon emitters and largest producers of coal, Beijing’s average daily Air Quality Index in 2020 reached 262, which the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) deemed as very “unhealthy”. Specifically, Hotan, a major oasis town in China’s Xinjiang region was ranked as the world’s most polluted in 2020. With annual levels of PM 2.5 around 110.2 micrograms per cubic meter, Hotan’s air pollution is deep in the “hazardous” territory, reported to be up to 11 times greater than the World Health Organisation target for annual exposure. High levels of air pollution contribute significantly to public health. A study by the Health Effects Institute reported that unhealthy levels of PM2.5 may have led to more than 1.42 million premature deaths in China in 2019. Hence, China’s growing energy system must be transformed completely to reduce air pollution. Currently, China has introduced renewable energy sources to cut coal and boost green growth. The government may also consider establishing regional cooperation in the Greater Bay Area to further address air pollution.

Moreover, the striking impact of air pollution in the UK urges the government to overhaul and strengthen its regulations under the Clean Air Strategy, to secure clean growth and innovation for future generations. Although air pollution level decreased drastically in 2020 due to the pandemic’s restrictions to curb traffic, half of the UK school pupils are worried about air pollution near their school. In the country’s lockdowns, the UK’s Office for National Statistics (ONS) announced that average levels of nitrogen dioxide, a toxic gas produced mainly by diesel vehicles declined to their lowest points since 1997.

According to the London Government source, there was a 97% reduction in the number of state primary and secondary schools exceeding legal pollution limits. Therefore, the ONS concluded that Covid-19

restrictions were a “large contributing factor” to the reduction in air pollution levels. Currently, many local authorities have also encouraged walking and cycling to create low-traffic neighbourhoods in an attempt to reduce air pollution in residential areas. However, it faces strong resistance from the procar lobby and disgruntled drivers arguing against installing low-emission zones. The government’s persisting efforts to reduce traffic congestion hopes to improve locals’ health and quality of life, as the role of transportation in UK cities’ air pollution become apparent during Covid-19 lockdowns.

Furthermore, the high pollution levels in India presents a health and economic hazard across the vast nation. According to a report from Clean Air Fund, India’s air pollution contributes to a financial loss of $95 billion annually, which can be translated to around 3% of India’s GDP in 2019 and twice the amount of annual public health expenditure. Notably in 2019, 1.67 million deaths in India were caused by air pollution, which is around one in every five deaths in the country, according to Forbes. The falling air pollution levels can be seen causing the lowered quality of life and increased health expenditure that may lead to decreased labour productivity. While recurring high pollution may accelerate short-term revenue loss from falling consumer spending, it is also associated with risks of long-term reputation loss among international tourists. Ultimately, laying bare the health and economic costs of India’s toxic urban air pollution

Although from one year to the next, you may not feel the difference in air quality in your home city, air pollution continues to be a prominent issue in our day-to-day life. Therefore as shown from examples in China, UK and India, the carbon emissions to produce electricity, industrial power, transport and heating contributes significantly to air pollution with adverse social, economic and environmental impacts.

In spite of the fact that the Covid-19 lockdowns have led to improvements in air quality in most countries, the level of pollutants is expected to increase as governments lift short-term restrictions. According to CNN, the global decrease in anthropogenic emission in 2020 was partly offset by the severity of extreme air pollution events like wildfires and dust storms, worsened by the climate crisis. Softening the blow to the Earth’s changing climate and carbon cycle, much is needed to alleviate the pressures caused by anthropogenic climate change. The world is on the verge of a climate “abyss”, calling for world leaders to establish a global coalition for net-zero carbon emissions.