Impact of Reduced Anthropogenic Emissions Associated With COVID‐19 Lockdown on PM2.5 Concentration and Canopy Urban Heat Island in Canada
Abstract Extensive lockdowns during the COVID‐19 pandemic caused a remarkable decline in human activities that have influenced urban climate, especially air quality and urban heat islands. However, the impact of such changes on local climate based on long term ground‐level observations has hitherto...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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American Geophysical Union (AGU)
2025-02-01
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| Series: | GeoHealth |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GH000975 |
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| author | Samaneh Ashraf Francesco S. R. Pausata Sylvie Leroyer Robin Stevens Rodrigo Munoz‐Alpizar |
| author_facet | Samaneh Ashraf Francesco S. R. Pausata Sylvie Leroyer Robin Stevens Rodrigo Munoz‐Alpizar |
| author_sort | Samaneh Ashraf |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Extensive lockdowns during the COVID‐19 pandemic caused a remarkable decline in human activities that have influenced urban climate, especially air quality and urban heat islands. However, the impact of such changes on local climate based on long term ground‐level observations has hitherto not been investigated. Using air pollution measurements for the four major Canadian metropolitan areas (Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, and Calgary), we find that PM2.5 markedly decreased during and after lockdowns with peak reduction ranging between 42% and 53% relative to the 2000–2019 reference period. Moreover, we show a substantial decline in canopy urban heat island intensity during lockdown and in the post lockdowns periods with peak reduction ranging between 0.7°C and 1.6°C in comparison with the 20‐year preceding period. The results of this study may provide insights for local policymakers to define the regulation strategies to facilitate air quality improvement in urban areas. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e250af94ab3e415bbf5844a1df6b0277 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2471-1403 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | American Geophysical Union (AGU) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | GeoHealth |
| spelling | doaj-art-e250af94ab3e415bbf5844a1df6b02772025-08-20T02:07:59ZengAmerican Geophysical Union (AGU)GeoHealth2471-14032025-02-0192n/an/a10.1029/2023GH000975Impact of Reduced Anthropogenic Emissions Associated With COVID‐19 Lockdown on PM2.5 Concentration and Canopy Urban Heat Island in CanadaSamaneh Ashraf0Francesco S. R. Pausata1Sylvie Leroyer2Robin Stevens3Rodrigo Munoz‐Alpizar4Department of Chemistry, University of Montreal (UdeM) Montreal QC CanadaCentre ESCER (Étude et la Simulation du Climat à l’Échelle Régionale) and GEOTOP (Research Centre in Earth System Dynamics), Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Quebec in Montreal (UQAM) Montreal QC CanadaMeteorological Research Division Environment and Climate Change Canada Montreal QC CanadaDepartment of Chemistry, University of Montreal (UdeM) Montreal QC CanadaMeteorological Service of Canada, Environment and Climate Change Canada Montreal QC CanadaAbstract Extensive lockdowns during the COVID‐19 pandemic caused a remarkable decline in human activities that have influenced urban climate, especially air quality and urban heat islands. However, the impact of such changes on local climate based on long term ground‐level observations has hitherto not been investigated. Using air pollution measurements for the four major Canadian metropolitan areas (Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, and Calgary), we find that PM2.5 markedly decreased during and after lockdowns with peak reduction ranging between 42% and 53% relative to the 2000–2019 reference period. Moreover, we show a substantial decline in canopy urban heat island intensity during lockdown and in the post lockdowns periods with peak reduction ranging between 0.7°C and 1.6°C in comparison with the 20‐year preceding period. The results of this study may provide insights for local policymakers to define the regulation strategies to facilitate air quality improvement in urban areas.https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GH000975 |
| spellingShingle | Samaneh Ashraf Francesco S. R. Pausata Sylvie Leroyer Robin Stevens Rodrigo Munoz‐Alpizar Impact of Reduced Anthropogenic Emissions Associated With COVID‐19 Lockdown on PM2.5 Concentration and Canopy Urban Heat Island in Canada GeoHealth |
| title | Impact of Reduced Anthropogenic Emissions Associated With COVID‐19 Lockdown on PM2.5 Concentration and Canopy Urban Heat Island in Canada |
| title_full | Impact of Reduced Anthropogenic Emissions Associated With COVID‐19 Lockdown on PM2.5 Concentration and Canopy Urban Heat Island in Canada |
| title_fullStr | Impact of Reduced Anthropogenic Emissions Associated With COVID‐19 Lockdown on PM2.5 Concentration and Canopy Urban Heat Island in Canada |
| title_full_unstemmed | Impact of Reduced Anthropogenic Emissions Associated With COVID‐19 Lockdown on PM2.5 Concentration and Canopy Urban Heat Island in Canada |
| title_short | Impact of Reduced Anthropogenic Emissions Associated With COVID‐19 Lockdown on PM2.5 Concentration and Canopy Urban Heat Island in Canada |
| title_sort | impact of reduced anthropogenic emissions associated with covid 19 lockdown on pm2 5 concentration and canopy urban heat island in canada |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GH000975 |
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