Lower air pollution during COVID-19 lock-down: improving models and methods estimating ozone impacts on crops

Abstract

We suggest that the unprecedented and unintended decrease of emissions of air pollutants during the COVID-19 lock-down in 2020 could lead to declining seasonal ozone concentrations and positive impacts on crop yields. An initial assessment of the potential effects of COVID-19 emission reductions was made using a set of six scenarios that variously assumed annual European and global emission reductions of 30% and 50% for the energy, industry, road transport and international shipping sectors, and 80% for the aviation sector. The greatest ozone reductions during the growing season reached up to 12 ppb over crop growing regions in Asia and up to 6 ppb in North America and Europe for the 50% global reduction scenario. In Europe, ozone responses are more sensitive to emission declines in other continents, international shipping and aviation than to emissions changes within Europe. We demonstrate that for wheat the overall magnitude of ozone precursor emission changes could lead to yield improvements between 2% and 8%. The expected magnitude of ozone precursor emission reductions during the Northern Hemisphere growing season in 2020 presents an opportunity to test and improve crop models and experimentally based exposure response relationships of ozone impacts on crops, under real-world conditions. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue ‘Air quality, past present and future’.

Environment, Biodiversity and Soil Security: A New Dimension in the Era of COVID-19

“…This influences the 20% renewable energy of the EU. The reduction in environmental pollution has been noted in countries of America, Europe, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and China (Dentener et al 2020).…”

“…While, in the European (EU) countries like in northern EU, 2-3% and Southern EU up to 7% increase in the yields were noted, this was mainly caused dueto changes in ozone layer (JRC, 2020). This study was done with the help of the Tropospheric Monitoring Instrument (TropOMI) on the Copernicus Sentinel-5 Precursor satellite which analyzed the observations of the global nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) emission (Dentener et al, 2020). During Marchto May 2020, the Copernicus Sentinel-5 Precursor satellite recorded a decline in the NO 2 concentration from 30% to 10% in Europe, North America, and Asia, this wide range of drop-in NO 2 was directly linked to the huge drop in the inland transportation, industry and power generation, shipping, and aviation during the lockdown (Dentener et al, 2020).…”

“…This study was done with the help of the Tropospheric Monitoring Instrument (TropOMI) on the Copernicus Sentinel-5 Precursor satellite which analyzed the observations of the global nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) emission (Dentener et al, 2020). During Marchto May 2020, the Copernicus Sentinel-5 Precursor satellite recorded a decline in the NO 2 concentration from 30% to 10% in Europe, North America, and Asia, this wide range of drop-in NO 2 was directly linked to the huge drop in the inland transportation, industry and power generation, shipping, and aviation during the lockdown (Dentener et al, 2020). TM5-FASST (FAst Scenario Screening Tool) model is used for observations of NO 2 emissions and its impact on O 3 concentration, this tool also calculated a yield improvement ranging from 2% to 8% as a consequence of the lockdown-related ozone reduction (JRC, 2020).…”

Recent advances in satellite mapping of global air quality: evidences during COVID-19 pandemic

“…For accurate and early warning of poor air quality, satellite monitoring over a large area can play a significant role in emission surveillance, from the point of stricter regulation and structured control management. There is also a need of refining the modeling techniques for better prediction of air quality (Dentener et al 2020 ). For strengthened scientific strategies to control emissions, further analysis is urgently needed over longer time periods to substantiate the changing emission profile as observed in column changes observed from various satellites.…”

Threshold effects of COVID-19-confirmed cases on change in pollutants changes: evidence from the Chinese top ten cities

“…Son et al ( 2020 ) investigated the impact of COVID-19 mitigation measures on air pollution levels in ten US states and the District of Columbia and subsequent decline in mortality. Frank et al ( 2020 ) evaluated the impact of ozone on crops during COVID-19 through improved models and methods and believed that the unprecedented and unexpected drop in air pollutant emissions may lead to a decrease in seasonal ozone concentration and have a positive impact on crop yields. Through the analysis of short-term and long-term drivers of carbon emissions, Wang and Wang ( 2020b ) discussed how to prevent the retaliatory growth of carbon emissions after COVID-19.…”