Coronavirus: Would containment have a beneficial effect on air quality? - 20 Minutes
It's a first. Since the start of containment, on January 23 in China and then in the rest of the world, the Earth has seen its pollutant emissions drop drastically! Witness the satellite images taken by NASA and IASI, as well as several maps published by the European Space Agency on April 16, which show a 54% drop in nitrogen dioxide in Paris, and around 45% in Madrid , Milan and Rome.
"For those who still doubted it, that means that human activities generate a lot of pollution and a lot of greenhouse gases", recalls, with a smile, Cathy Clerbaux, research director at CNRS, at the Atmosphere and observations laboratory space (Latmos).
"The fine particles remain quite high"
Exit nitrogen dioxide. Responsible for certain respiratory diseases, the NO2 present in the air for a few hours, has significantly decreased thanks to the cessation of road traffic in part of the globe. However, if the air we breathe is purer, it remains polluted.
Because, although it is more difficult to measure a fall or not of carbon monoxide (CO2) and fine particles, which remain longer in the atmosphere, Cathy Clerbaux is formal: "There is less, it is on. But, despite the very stable air, especially in Paris where there has been no wind and no rain for several days, the fine particles remain quite high ”. The cause: spreading fertilizer and heating homes where residents are confined.
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