WITH continents around the world grappling with the deadly Coronavirus (COVID-19), scientists have noticed that, even in such terrible times, one positive emerges: there has been a significant reduction in pollution and Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.
Here in Guyana, there have only been five confirmed cases of the virus which isn’t very significant when compared to the 3,200 deaths in China and over 81,000 infections or the 2,978 deaths in Italy and 35,713 infections. The first case of the virus was reported to the World Health Organisation (WHO) Country Office in China on 31 December 2019.

CLEANER ATMOSPHERE
As the outbreak spread and the county’s government moved to a widespread lockdown, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and European Space Agency (ESA) began to notice changes through its pollution monitoring satellites.

Satellite images above China from January 1 – February 25, 2020 showed a significant decrease in nitrogen dioxide (NO2) over China, primarily related to the economic shut down. The noxious gas is emitted by motor vehicles, power plants and industrial facilities.
The NO2 drop in 2020 came at a time that the Lunar New Year celebrations in China and much of Asia was cancelled. The density once prevalent was now almost non-existent. Despite the long-term declaration of a “climate crisis” by those who advocate for ‘green’ energy alternatives, the top five nations with the most CO2 emissions are China, the United States, European Union, India and Russia.

According to researchers at Columbia University, traffic levels in New York were estimated to be down 35 per cent compared with a year ago. Meanwhile, emissions of carbon monoxide, mainly due to cars, have fallen by around 50 per cent for a few days this week. The city unofficially known as ‘the city that never sleeps’ began to look more and more like a ghost town as persons began adhering to ‘Social Distancing’ as advised.

The transportation sector is the biggest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in the US and, as schools and businesses close their doors, scientists speaking to the BBC said this week that reduced travel could temporarily drive down carbon emissions to be the lowest since the financial crisis over a decade ago.

IMAPCT ON ANIMALS
The ESA satellite has also shown that NO2 plummeted in Northern Italy where the country was hit the hardest by the virus. Journalists within the country soon began to report that the canals in Venice were now clear enough to see the fish as coronavirus halted tourism in the city.

There were also reports that swans had returned to the canals and dolphins have been spotted in the port. At many zoological parks worldwide, measures have been put in place to ensure animal-care staff and veterinarians are available. “Without guests in the building, caretakers are getting creative in how they provide enrichment to animals — introducing new experiences, activities, foods and more to keep them active, encourage them to explore, problem-solve and express natural behaviors,” a spokesperson from the Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium told the Washington Post.

However, understandably, not all animals have been catered for. Some wildlife were affected by changes due to the virus as the New York Times reported that at popular tourist stops in Thailand and Japan, some creatures such as monkeys are going hungry because visitors have not been turning up to feed them.

Meanwhile, Sika deer have been seen roaming the streets of Nara, Japan, as the number of tourists to Nara Park, where they usually live and are fed, plummeted. Domestic animals such as cats and dogs, some now neglected as pet owners fall sick or those previously living on the streets, were seen in several countries, roaming the street in search of food, fighting and barking. “Businesses are closed so there is no-one to feed the strays. It started being very common to see roaming cats and dogs and hear them fighting and barking and meowing much more than usual,” an experienced rescuer in Shenzhen, China told the BBC. Even as countries race to find a vaccine for the virus which has infected at least 222,643 people and killed at least 9,115 worldwide as of March 19, the news agency said that it is likely that when the pandemic passes, CO2 emission levels could rise rapidly again.