Vacations are cancelled, offices are orphaned, the events of fall.
But by the Corona of a pandemic-related restrictions would also have your Good, it is called: this is Because the air in the German cities will be better. Perhaps there need be no Diesel-driving bans more. Is that true?
Statement
The measures to make the air cleaner. Satellite images prove this.
Rating
The impact of the so-called lock downs on the air quality at the present time, and not a serious quantify. If anything, there is only a short-term effect.
Facts
Less traffic and fewer industrial processes can be reduced, as currently, emissions, this has generally positive implications for air quality, the Federal environmental Agency.
How big this effect is, it is to be expected but only after all the data were available. So 2021 is to be expected.
A crucial factor is also the weather, according to experts, always. Because of strong Wind, the pollutants disperse faster, their concentration in the air decreases.
Under low-exchange weather, the pollutants were, however, accumulate in the air.
“The favourable weather in the spring could have contributed to the observed decline in local air pollution in the past weeks”, writes, for example, Henk Eskes, atmosphere, researchers at the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute, in the journal ‘Nature’.
Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) from encounter, especially diesel vehicles, and the industry.
From the 5. up to the age of 25. March captured images of the satellite “Copernicus Sentinel-5P,” the European space Agency, ESA, in comparison to the same period in 2019, although a marked decrease in the NO2-exposure for major cities such as Düsseldorf, Essen, Cologne or Frankfurt.
“Satellite images can only be an indication,” says Ute from the Federal environment Agency (UBA). “You are, therefore, only a snapshot of the entire air column, but it is not indicative of pollutant exposure on the ground.”
Also, the measuring stations can give only limited information. Although the values of the main thoroughfares in Stuttgart or Munich, are in some cases lower than before the start of the measures.
In other cities, but sometimes also higher NO2 observed concentrations. The measurement data are subject to the UBA, according to large fluctuations, so that no Trend can be read off.
The Federal environment Agency makes it clear also: The Europe-wide fixed nitrogen dioxide limit value of 40 micrograms per cubic meter of air applies to the entire calendar year and not on individual days.
“It is expected that road transport will increase in a couple of weeks back on the usual level, or even beyond,” says Takes.
Throughout the year, no significant values were obtained, therefore, to expect improvements. Therefore, there is no reason bans lift pass.
Also in the fine dust, there is no clear answer. Because the fine dust has its causes not only in transport, but also in the private use of wood-burning stoves or in agriculture.
Especially in the spring, he emerges with the Fertilizing of fields. Therefore, the fine dust values are currently in some places increased, even though the NO2 concentration is decreased.
“It is currently just say, is the only thing you can concretely lead to the Lockdown,” says Takes.
Source
- Schiermeier, Q. (2020): Why pollution is plummeting in some cities but not others, archived from the original on 16.04.2020: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-01049-6
Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa)
*The contribution of “Lockdown: Does the Corona pandemic in our air cleaner?” is published by FitForFun. Contact with the executives here.