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Lessons learned and questions raised during and post-COVID-19 anthropopause period in relation to the environment and climate

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  • Christos S. Zerefos

    (Academy of Athens
    Academy of Athens
    Navarino Environmental Observatory (N.E.O.)
    Mariolopoulos-Kanaginis Foundation for the Environmental Sciences)

  • Stavros Solomos

    (Academy of Athens)

  • John Kapsomenakis

    (Academy of Athens)

  • Anastasia Poupkou

    (Academy of Athens)

  • Lida Dimitriadou

    (Academy of Athens
    National and Kapodistrian University of Athens)

  • Iliana D. Polychroni

    (Academy of Athens
    National and Kapodistrian University of Athens)

  • Pavlos Kalabokas

    (Academy of Athens)

  • Constandinos M. Philandras

    (Academy of Athens)

  • Dimitris Thanos

    (Academy of Athens)

Abstract

In the first part, this work reports that during the global “anthropopause” period, that was imposed in March and April 2020 for limiting the spread of COVID-19, the concentrations of basic air pollutants over Europe were reduced by up to 70%. During May and June, the gradual lift of the stringent measures resulted in the recovery of these reductions with pollution concentrations approaching the levels before the lockdown by the end of June 2020. In the second part, this work examines the alleged correlations between the reported cases of COVID-19 and temperature, humidity and particulate matter for March and April 2020 in Europe. It was found that decreasing temperatures and relative humidity with increasing concentrations of particulate matter are correlated with an increase in the number of reported cases during these 2 months. However, when these calculations were repeated for May and June, we found a remarkable drop in the significance of the correlations which leads us to question the generally accepted inverse relation between pandemics and air temperature at least during the warmer months. Such a relationship could not be supported in our study for SARS-CoV-2 virus and the question remains open. In the third and last part of this work, we examine the question referring to the origin of pandemics. In this context we have examined the hypothesis that the observed climate warming in Siberia and the Arctic and the thawing of permafrost could result to the release of trapped in the permafrost pathogens in the atmosphere. We find that although such relations cannot be directly justified, they present a possible horrifying mechanism for the origin of viruses in the future during the developing global warming of our planet in the decades to come. Overall the findings of our study indicate that: (1) the reduction of anthropogenic emissions in Europe during the “anthropopause” period of March and April 2020 was significant, but when the lockdown measures were raised the concentrations of atmospheric pollutants quickly recovered to pre-pandemic levels and therefore any possible climatic feedbacks were negligible; (2) no robust relationship between atmospheric parameters and the spread of COVID-19 cases can be justified in the warmer part of the year and (3) more research needs to be done regarding the possible links between climate change and the release of new pathogens from thawing of permafrost areas.

Suggested Citation

  • Christos S. Zerefos & Stavros Solomos & John Kapsomenakis & Anastasia Poupkou & Lida Dimitriadou & Iliana D. Polychroni & Pavlos Kalabokas & Constandinos M. Philandras & Dimitris Thanos, 2021. "Lessons learned and questions raised during and post-COVID-19 anthropopause period in relation to the environment and climate," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(7), pages 10623-10645, July.
  • Handle: RePEc:spr:endesu:v:23:y:2021:i:7:d:10.1007_s10668-020-01075-4
    DOI: 10.1007/s10668-020-01075-4
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    References listed on IDEAS

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