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Photo: Martin Meissner / AP / TT
There are fewer cars than usual on the German motorway, like here in Essen. A reduction in road transport in Europe has led to fewer emissions. Stock Photography.
Cleaner air in Europe has prevented more than 11,000 premature deaths during the month of April, a new study shows.
“It can be compared to the fact that everyone in Europe quit smoking for a month,” says lead author Lauri Myllyvirta at the Helsinki-based Center for Energy and Clean Air Research (Crea).
The closure of countries as a result of the crown pandemic has led to a substantial reduction in air pollution. Nitrogen dioxide emissions have decreased by 37 percent and particulate emissions of less than 2.5 million parts (ppm) have decreased by 10 percent, in a 30-day period ending April 24, in compared to the previous year.
In both cases, these are toxic by-products that form during the combustion of coal, oil, and gas. The transport sector accounts for a large part of the reduction in nitrogen dioxide emissions.
– The effects are the same or greater in many other parts of the world, says Myllyvirta.
In addition to saving lives, Crea estimates that reducing emissions has led to 6,000 fewer cases of childhood asthma.
Air pollution is estimated to shorten life expectancy by three years, causing 8.8 million premature deaths annually.
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