New Delhi: A new research has found that Covid pandemic restrictions led to stronger climate warming. The study from Stockholm University, Sweden, said that this was because the restrictions reduced the aerosol content in the air mass over South Asia, mainly Pakistan, India and Bangladesh, but had no effect on the concentrations of the longer-lived greenhouse gases.
A lower aerosol content meant less cooling, because of less reflection of incoming solar radiation back into space, and thus less ‘masking’ of the warming effect of the significantly longer-lived climate gases.
Measurements taken at the same time over the northern Indian Ocean revealed a 7 per cent increase in solar radiation reaching the Earth’s surface, thus increasing temperatures. Measurements were taken at Hanimaadhoo, a measuring station in the northernmost Maldives off the coast of India.
The results published in NPJ Climate and Atmospheric Science showed that a complete phasing out of fossil fuel combustion in favour of renewable energy sources with zero emissions could result in rapid ‘unmasking’ of aerosols, while greenhouse gases linger.
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In the spring of 2020, pandemic restrictions significantly reduced industrial activity and transportation worldwide, both of which are known to cause emissions of sulphur and nitrogen oxides and other air pollutants leading to aerosol formation.
The study said that the pandemic became a ‘natural’ experiment to examine what happens to the climate if gas and aerosol emissions were rapidly reduced. Orjan Gustafsson, professor at Stockholm University, lead researcher and responsible for the measurements in the Maldives said,
Through this large-scale geophysical experiment, we were able to demonstrate that while the sky became bluer and the air cleaner, climate warming increased when these cooling air particles were removed
Mr. Gustafsson further said,
During a couple of decades, emission reductions risk leading to net climate warming due to the ‘masking’ effect of air particles, before the temperature reduction from reduced greenhouse gas emissions takes over. But despite an initial climate warming effect, we obviously still urgently need a powerful emission reduction
The researchers said they have been measuring the atmospheric composition and radiation for soon two decades.
The measuring station is strategically placed to capture air masses from the Asian subcontinent and located in an area with few regional emission sources.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
NDTV – Dettol have been working towards a clean and healthy India since 2014 via the Banega Swachh India initiative, which is helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. The campaign aims to highlight the inter-dependency of humans and the environment, and of humans on one another with the focus on One Health, One Planet, One Future – Leaving No One Behind. It stresses on the need to take care of, and consider, everyone’s health in India – especially vulnerable communities – the LGBTQ population, indigenous people, India’s different tribes, ethnic and linguistic minorities, people with disabilities, migrants, geographically remote populations, gender and sexual minorities. In wake of the current COVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign will continue to raise awareness on the same along with focussing on the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children, fight malnutrition, mental wellbeing, self care, science and health, adolescent health & gender awareness. Along with the health of people, the campaign has realised the need to also take care of the health of the eco-system. Our environment is fragile due to human activity, which is not only over-exploiting available resources, but also generating immense pollution as a result of using and extracting those resources. The imbalance has also led to immense biodiversity loss that has caused one of the biggest threats to human survival – climate change. It has now been described as a “code red for humanity.” The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and sanitation workers and menstrual hygiene. Banega Swasth India will also be taking forward the dream of Swasth Bharat, the campaign feels that only a Swachh or clean India where toilets are used and open defecation free (ODF) status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and the country can become a Swasth or healthy India.
