Less emissions: Improved by means of Corona really the air?

The sports bag pack and off to the gym for recreational athletes a familiar Ritual, is eliminated since a few days all of a sudden. Sports halls and fitness studios are closed due to the Coronavirus.

Large vehicle manufacturers such as VW, BMW and Daimler have been temporarily closed their plants.

Optimists say that in addition to the dire health consequences of Covid-19 pandemic and Economic collapse, there is also good sides to it: The air in cities is cleaner, if less is produced, and is driven. The help perhaps even the climate.

The positive effects of Corona on the climate

What can cause a stop for cars and factories, showed first the US space Agency, Nasa, about three weeks ago, with satellite images from China.

The Region to the metropolis of Wuhan was put after the first outbreak of Sars-CoV-2 in January under quarantine. From Wuhan from the decrease in the emissions of nitrogen dioxide, short NO2 have spread over other regions of China, explained the experts.

Satellite image of the Nasa of China

In China, the office for National statistics also recorded for the first two months 2020 to around six percent lower reduction of the energy carrier coal, compared to the prior-year period.

U.S. researchers from the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air have reported a decline in emissions of climate-damaging combustion gas, carbon dioxide, or CO2 for short, by the Shut-Down in the Asian giant country.

Climate: How does it look in Europe?

Recently, the European space Agency, Esa reported also for Northern Italy, with declines of gas to NO2, which is produced during the combustion of fossil fuels such as coal and Oil transport and production.

Italy is in Europe hardest by the Virus. The Mediterranean country has earlier than other EU countries, imposed curfews, and large parts of public life shut down.

In cities such as Rome could joyfully suddenly breathe after the beginning of 2020, Smog. The air smelled of spring instead of buses, and Mopeds.

No long-term climate gain by Corona

Climate experts and the Federal environment Minister, Svenja Schulze warned, however, that, in General, a short decrease in the pollutant would be no long-term gain for climate protection.

The President of the Federal office for the environment, Dirk Messner, a language with a view to less travel in Germany of a “one-time effect,” in greenhouse gas emissions. “After the crisis, these emissions are here again.”

Similarly, had commented earlier, an expert of his authority: “And if you look at the economic crises, then it came to the break-ins with low emissions, to a stronger upturn in the economy and higher emissions.” The consumer will often be made up.

In China is produced

Not only from an economic point of view, this is precisely often the hope. Then, the exhaust gas to draw, however the new values. “The Chinese produce”, – said the head of the German Institute for economic research in Berlin, Marcel Fratzscher, in the ‘Germany radio’.

“Now, they start slowly again. We may be almost two months behind China, maybe a little less.”

The great hope is that it will be worse, or no longer takes as well as in China. “But you can’t rely certainly.”

The Esa took this development in China, first a decrease, then the Increase of NO2, in pictures, the on 19. March were presented. They come from the satellite Copernicus Sentinel-5P.

The Esa experts have pointed out that the shots only gave hints. There are also other factors played a role, such as the weather.

Caution in the Interpretation of satellite images

Other experts urge for caution in the Interpretation of satellite images. You didn’t replace no pollutant measurements close to the ground, showed so, what is the quality of breathing, the air having, it was said.

Rather, the pollutant content is there in the “column of air” from the bottom to the top are recorded. “They are an indication, but not proof,” said Ute Takes, field Manager at the Federal environment Agency.

Whether the air in Germany, Close by fewer trips and temporary industrial plants really temporarily clean it is, and it should be possible predict.

Seriously, the Corona could effect on the quality of the air not quickly measure, explained Take. “You can see that later, when all the data is actually present,” she said. “Will be charged at the end of the year.”

The weather plays a decisive role

Because in the balance sheets for games, for example, the weather pollutants to accumulate: During a low-exchange weather situation in the air. Strong Wind helps to distribute the pollutants.

Would be added currently are also entries of fine dust from agriculture, would be established at the fertilization of the fields. All of these aspects played a role. Only when all the data together, we could not assess the effects of the changes by the action of the Corona-crisis, says will Take.

According to the think tank Agora Energiewende, Germany as a result of the Corona will reach a crisis, in any case, the climate protection goal for 2020.

It could, depending on the extent of the crisis is not only the objective of having 40 percent less greenhouse gases than in 1990 expelled, but even up to 45 percent less, said Agora’s Director Patrick Graichen on Friday in Berlin.

In the case of long-term climate forecasts, some experts fear, however, that the Corona effect to be negative: The Virus crisis could be the climate of the Agenda of the policy to displace.

Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa)

*The contribution of “Less emissions and Improved by means of Corona really the air?” is published by FitForFun. Contact with the executives here.