In general all graphs show that the mean NO2 concentration after the lockdown date has decreased – at some stations the effect is larger than at others. Concentration peaks with similar amplitudes, compared to before the lockdown, persist. The overall patterns would require a more detailed analysis of the locations e.g. considering mobility behaviour.
https://hawadawa.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Berlin3.png24002400Barbara Lofererhttps://hawadawa.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/hawadawa_logo_web.pngBarbara Loferer2020-05-28 19:55:462020-05-28 20:08:48Time series comparison of pre- and post-lockdown for German cities
In the days of Covid-19, “air quality” is a topic in the media, too. Municipalities are often pioneers in pushing for improvements. Decisions must be made in complex social contexts and measures must be integrated into larger plans. Here’s an interview with Karim Tarraf, CEO of Hawa Dawa, in which he comments on the following topics:
How can the increasing importance of air quality data be explained?
Why are the available measurements and data usually insufficient?
What does cooperation with municipalities look like?
https://hawadawa.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Karim-Tarraf_blog.jpg6401690Barbara Lofererhttps://hawadawa.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/hawadawa_logo_web.pngBarbara Loferer2020-05-20 18:39:582020-05-27 14:46:04Cities at the Forefront of Air Quality: Interview with Karim Tarraf, CEO of Hawa Dawa
Cities worldwide have been imposing lockdowns due to coronavirus, leading to traffic reductions and related to that, less NO2 pollution. The strength of the effect is not the same everywhere, being dependent on a number of variables, such as pollution levels and amount of traffic before the lockdown at the particular location, fleet composition, weather conditions and topography and urban architecture.
https://hawadawa.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/wuhan_s_SM.jpg6401690Birgit Fullertonhttps://hawadawa.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/hawadawa_logo_web.pngBirgit Fullerton2020-04-30 16:34:372020-04-30 18:00:55Time series comparison of pre- and post-lockdown for sample cities show that the lockdown impact on NO2 concentrations varies
I have recently heard people uttering disappointment regarding the rather small effect they have observed at official measurement stations in Munich during the time of the lockdown due to the coronavirus. Looking at the raw hourly measurement traces at different locations in and around Munich, we can see a very clear drop during the initial phase of the lockdown, with concentrations coming up again after that. So we decided to take a deeper look. We considered impacts from weather conditions, season-specific influences as well as mobility behaviour.
https://hawadawa.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/raw_data_plot.png655744Birgit Fullertonhttps://hawadawa.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/hawadawa_logo_web.pngBirgit Fullerton2020-04-24 17:40:202020-05-06 21:00:55NO2 concentrations during the lockdown in Munich
Although measures to curb the Corona virus have (almost) brought many polluters to a standstill, the effects on the trends from measurements are not as obviously visible as some may have expected. In principle, when studying cause-and-effect relationships in the field of air quality, comprehensive interactions between the pollutants, their sensitivity to other environmental influences (e.g. weather, temperature, wind) as well as eco-sociological influences must always be taken into account.
https://hawadawa.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Flughafen_MUC_SZ.jpg9001715Barbara Lofererhttps://hawadawa.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/hawadawa_logo_web.pngBarbara Loferer2020-04-21 16:25:272020-05-05 20:00:39See the full picture: There is less net of the improvement in air quality through measures to curb the Covid-19 virus
While the world has focused its full attention on the current coronavirus outbreak, other issues we were concerned about regarding our health might currently seem almost irrelevant to many of us. However, there is one factor that shouldn’t be ignored – potentially not even when looking at survival rates of COVID-19: air pollution.
https://hawadawa.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Weniger-Verkehr_Mittenwald.jpg493812Barbara Lofererhttps://hawadawa.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/hawadawa_logo_web.pngBarbara Loferer2020-03-23 19:10:242020-03-23 19:17:51A Reduction of NO2 Reported by Satellites Does Not Automatically Mean Healthier Air
https://hawadawa.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Smog-Mailand-Source-ZDF.jpg345706Barbara Lofererhttps://hawadawa.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/hawadawa_logo_web.pngBarbara Loferer2020-03-22 18:22:002020-04-19 20:19:19Italian Scientists Discover a Correlation between Air Pollution (Particulate Matter) and the Rapid Spread of the Corona Virus in Northern Italy
In his article published in Ends Europe, Richard Weyndling cites European experts as well as health and environmental activists who agree that the impact of Covid-19 restrictions on air quality in Europe demonstrates the case for tougher action on pollution. Among others, Zoltan Massay-Kosubek from the European Health Authority is quoted: “Although stopping most transports from one day to the next is not an appropriate way to reduce pollution, we must avoid, returning to the same pre-crisis levels of pollution once the epidemic has ended.”
https://hawadawa.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ESA_Corona_Europe.jpg506797Barbara Lofererhttps://hawadawa.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/hawadawa_logo_web.pngBarbara Loferer2020-03-20 20:43:002020-03-20 21:24:47What we should learn for air quality from measures to curb the Corona virus
Are sustainability and economy compatible? Dr.-Ing. Heba Aguib shares her thoughts with reference to the Agenda 2030 of the United Nations, where seventeen sustainability objectives have been defined.
In their study, which has been published in Science Direct, Nihan Celikkaya, Matthew Fullerton (Hawa Dawa) and Birgit Fullerton (Hawa Dawa), the focus was to see overall trends and sensor reactions to the changes in background air pollutant concentrations, wind speeds and traffic volumes:
Comprehensive information on air quality is very important for development and assessment of air pollution reduction measures, especially for urban areas facing these problems. Such information is useful not only for monitoring of air quality levels but also for validation of air quality modelling tools.
https://hawadawa.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Verkehrsmanagment.jpg208339Barbara Lofererhttps://hawadawa.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/hawadawa_logo_web.pngBarbara Loferer2019-11-12 16:30:002020-03-23 17:15:29Use of Low-Cost Air Quality Monitoring Devices for Assessment of Road Transport Related Emissions
Time series comparison of pre- and post-lockdown for German cities
/0 Comments/in Health /by Barbara LofererIn general all graphs show that the mean NO2 concentration after the lockdown date has decreased – at some stations the effect is larger than at others. Concentration peaks with similar amplitudes, compared to before the lockdown, persist. The overall patterns would require a more detailed analysis of the locations e.g. considering mobility behaviour.
Cities at the Forefront of Air Quality: Interview with Karim Tarraf, CEO of Hawa Dawa
/0 Comments/in Urban Air Quality /by Barbara LofererIn the days of Covid-19, “air quality” is a topic in the media, too. Municipalities are often pioneers in pushing for improvements. Decisions must be made in complex social contexts and measures must be integrated into larger plans. Here’s an interview with Karim Tarraf, CEO of Hawa Dawa, in which he comments on the following topics:
How can the increasing importance of air quality data be explained?
Why are the available measurements and data usually insufficient?
What does cooperation with municipalities look like?
Time series comparison of pre- and post-lockdown for sample cities show that the lockdown impact on NO2 concentrations varies
/0 Comments/in Health /by Birgit FullertonCities worldwide have been imposing lockdowns due to coronavirus, leading to traffic reductions and related to that, less NO2 pollution. The strength of the effect is not the same everywhere, being dependent on a number of variables, such as pollution levels and amount of traffic before the lockdown at the particular location, fleet composition, weather conditions and topography and urban architecture.
NO2 concentrations during the lockdown in Munich
/in Health /by Birgit FullertonI have recently heard people uttering disappointment regarding the rather small effect they have observed at official measurement stations in Munich during the time of the lockdown due to the coronavirus. Looking at the raw hourly measurement traces at different locations in and around Munich, we can see a very clear drop during the initial phase of the lockdown, with concentrations coming up again after that. So we decided to take a deeper look. We considered impacts from weather conditions, season-specific influences as well as mobility behaviour.
See the full picture: There is less net of the improvement in air quality through measures to curb the Covid-19 virus
/0 Comments/in Health, Mobility /by Barbara LofererAlthough measures to curb the Corona virus have (almost) brought many polluters to a standstill, the effects on the trends from measurements are not as obviously visible as some may have expected. In principle, when studying cause-and-effect relationships in the field of air quality, comprehensive interactions between the pollutants, their sensitivity to other environmental influences (e.g. weather, temperature, wind) as well as eco-sociological influences must always be taken into account.
Do Air Pollution Levels Influence COVID-19 Mortality Risk?
/0 Comments/in Health /by Birgit FullertonWhile the world has focused its full attention on the current coronavirus outbreak, other issues we were concerned about regarding our health might currently seem almost irrelevant to many of us. However, there is one factor that shouldn’t be ignored – potentially not even when looking at survival rates of COVID-19: air pollution.
A Reduction of NO2 Reported by Satellites Does Not Automatically Mean Healthier Air
/0 Comments/in Blog, Health /by Barbara LofererSatellites cannot replace ground-based measurements.
This post is only available in German
Italian Scientists Discover a Correlation between Air Pollution (Particulate Matter) and the Rapid Spread of the Corona Virus in Northern Italy
/0 Comments/in Health /by Barbara LofererThis post is available in German only
What we should learn for air quality from measures to curb the Corona virus
/0 Comments/in Health /by Barbara LofererIn his article published in Ends Europe, Richard Weyndling cites European experts as well as health and environmental activists who agree that the impact of Covid-19 restrictions on air quality in Europe demonstrates the case for tougher action on pollution. Among others, Zoltan Massay-Kosubek from the European Health Authority is quoted: “Although stopping most transports from one day to the next is not an appropriate way to reduce pollution, we must avoid, returning to the same pre-crisis levels of pollution once the epidemic has ended.”
Sustainability Goes beyond Green Tech
/0 Comments/in Sustainability /by Barbara LofererAre sustainability and economy compatible? Dr.-Ing. Heba Aguib shares her thoughts with reference to the Agenda 2030 of the United Nations, where seventeen sustainability objectives have been defined.
Use of Low-Cost Air Quality Monitoring Devices for Assessment of Road Transport Related Emissions
/0 Comments/in Mobility /by Barbara LofererIn their study, which has been published in Science Direct, Nihan Celikkaya, Matthew Fullerton (Hawa Dawa) and Birgit Fullerton (Hawa Dawa), the focus was to see overall trends and sensor reactions to the changes in background air pollutant concentrations, wind speeds and traffic volumes:
Comprehensive information on air quality is very important for development and assessment of air pollution reduction measures, especially for urban areas facing these problems. Such information is useful not only for monitoring of air quality levels but also for validation of air quality modelling tools.