Air quality and urban climate improvements in the world’s most populated region during the COVID-19 pandemic
In this study, we assessed air quality (AQ) and urban climate during the mobility restrictions implemented in the Greater Tokyo Area, Japan, the world’s most populated region, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Observations from dense surface networks were analyzed using an interpretable machine...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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IOP Publishing
2024-01-01
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| Series: | Environmental Research Letters |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ad25a2 |
| _version_ | 1797302308842766336 |
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| author | Alessandro Damiani Hitoshi Irie Dmitry Belikov Raul R Cordero Sarah Feron Noriko N Ishizaki |
| author_facet | Alessandro Damiani Hitoshi Irie Dmitry Belikov Raul R Cordero Sarah Feron Noriko N Ishizaki |
| author_sort | Alessandro Damiani |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In this study, we assessed air quality (AQ) and urban climate during the mobility restrictions implemented in the Greater Tokyo Area, Japan, the world’s most populated region, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Observations from dense surface networks were analyzed using an interpretable machine learning approach. In parallel with a ∼50% reduction in mobility and an altered lifestyle of the population, we found limited reductions in nitrogen dioxide; decreases in fine particulate matter not entirely driven by local mobility; minor variations in ozone, with a positive (negative) tendency in areas with high (low) emissions; a decrease in air temperature consistent with mobility; and pollution levels and air temperature changes with well-defined, common spatiotemporal patterns. Specifically, cooling mainly occurred in urbanized areas with an improved AQ. Overall, although reductions in mobility were moderately effective in improving the typical indicators of urban AQ, including those known to negatively impact human health, the reductions in waste heat had a stronger impact on Tokyo’s urban heat island, suggestive of a strategy to minimize exposure to heat stress. These findings can help guide urban planning strategies and policies aimed at addressing climate change. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T23:34:56Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d9dac6e927df4d828bd61571643d2ea1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1748-9326 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T23:34:56Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Environmental Research Letters |
| spelling | doaj.art-d9dac6e927df4d828bd61571643d2ea12024-02-20T08:21:22ZengIOP PublishingEnvironmental Research Letters1748-93262024-01-0119303402310.1088/1748-9326/ad25a2Air quality and urban climate improvements in the world’s most populated region during the COVID-19 pandemicAlessandro Damiani0Hitoshi Irie1Dmitry Belikov2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2114-7250Raul R Cordero3https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7607-7993Sarah Feron4https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0572-5639Noriko N Ishizaki5Center for Climate Change Adaptation, National Institute for Environmental Studies , Tsukuba, JapanCenter for Environmental Remote Sensing, Chiba University , Chiba, JapanCenter for Environmental Remote Sensing, Chiba University , Chiba, JapanUniversidad de Santiago de Chile , Santiago, ChileUniversidad de Santiago de Chile , Santiago, Chile; University of Groningen , Leeuwarden, The NetherlandsCenter for Climate Change Adaptation, National Institute for Environmental Studies , Tsukuba, JapanIn this study, we assessed air quality (AQ) and urban climate during the mobility restrictions implemented in the Greater Tokyo Area, Japan, the world’s most populated region, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Observations from dense surface networks were analyzed using an interpretable machine learning approach. In parallel with a ∼50% reduction in mobility and an altered lifestyle of the population, we found limited reductions in nitrogen dioxide; decreases in fine particulate matter not entirely driven by local mobility; minor variations in ozone, with a positive (negative) tendency in areas with high (low) emissions; a decrease in air temperature consistent with mobility; and pollution levels and air temperature changes with well-defined, common spatiotemporal patterns. Specifically, cooling mainly occurred in urbanized areas with an improved AQ. Overall, although reductions in mobility were moderately effective in improving the typical indicators of urban AQ, including those known to negatively impact human health, the reductions in waste heat had a stronger impact on Tokyo’s urban heat island, suggestive of a strategy to minimize exposure to heat stress. These findings can help guide urban planning strategies and policies aimed at addressing climate change.https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ad25a2air qualityurban climateair temperatureCOVID-19 |
| spellingShingle | Alessandro Damiani Hitoshi Irie Dmitry Belikov Raul R Cordero Sarah Feron Noriko N Ishizaki Air quality and urban climate improvements in the world’s most populated region during the COVID-19 pandemic Environmental Research Letters air quality urban climate air temperature COVID-19 |
| title | Air quality and urban climate improvements in the world’s most populated region during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_full | Air quality and urban climate improvements in the world’s most populated region during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_fullStr | Air quality and urban climate improvements in the world’s most populated region during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_full_unstemmed | Air quality and urban climate improvements in the world’s most populated region during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_short | Air quality and urban climate improvements in the world’s most populated region during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_sort | air quality and urban climate improvements in the world s most populated region during the covid 19 pandemic |
| topic | air quality urban climate air temperature COVID-19 |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ad25a2 |
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