scholarly journals Air quality in Barcelona during the COVID-19 lockdown and the global effect on CO2 emissions

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Javier Martín-Vide ◽  
Alberto Zayas ◽  
Ferran Salvador ◽  
Mª Carmen Moreno-García
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Co2 Emissions ◽  
Global Effect

Calidad del aire en Barcelona durante el confinamiento por la COVID-19 y su efecto global en las emisiones de CO2 La pandemia de la COVID-19 está teniendo un enorme impacto negativo en la salud humana, con más de 4,44 millones de muertos en todo el mundo; en la economía, con una profunda y abrupta crisis sin precedentes; y en la sociedad, con millones de personas en situación de desempleo y dependientes, en el mejor de los casos, de los sistemas de asistencia social o de bienestar público. El confinamiento domiciliario, las medidas para limitar la actividad económica no esencial y las restricciones de los viajes en muchos países durante la primavera de 2020 llevaron a mejoras rápidas en la calidad del aire de las ciudades. Un análisis detallado de las inmisiones diarias de Barcelona de siete contaminantes (CO, SO2, NO, NO2, NOx, PM10 y O3) muestra una clara disminución desde mediados de marzo hasta junio, con el pico en abril y en los óxidos de nitrógeno. Para estos contaminantes, la reducción de la densidad del tráfico es muy probablemente la principal causa de la disminución de sus inmisiones. Por otro lado, la reducción global de las emisiones de CO2 derivadas del uso de combustibles fósiles se estimó en aproximadamente un 8 % en 2020, lo que, a pesar de constituir una caída sin precedentes, tendrá poco impacto en las concentraciones de CO2 y de otros gases de efecto invernadero en la atmósfera. La situación actual debe ser vista como una oportunidad para impulsar, sin demora, un cambio drástico en los modelos energético y económico hacia un paradigma socioambiental basado en la sostenibilidad, la eficiencia económica y la solidaridad entre los pueblos.

scholarly journals Evaluation of a Novel Poultry Litter Amendment on Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Atmosphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 563
Author(s):  
Kelsey Anderson ◽  
Philip A. Moore ◽  
Jerry Martin ◽  
Amanda J. Ashworth
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Co2 Emissions ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Block Design ◽  
Poultry Litter ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Nitrous Oxide Emissions ◽  
Gaseous Emissions ◽  
Poultry Facilities

Gaseous emissions from poultry litter causes production problems for producers as well as the environment, by contributing to climate change and reducing air quality. Novel methods of reducing ammonia (NH3) and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in poultry facilities are needed. As such, our research evaluated GHG emissions over a 42 d period. Three separate flocks of 1000 broilers were used for this study. The first flock was used only to produce litter needed for the experiment. The second and third flocks were allocated to 20 pens in a randomized block design with four replicated of five treatments. The management practices studied included an unamended control; a conventional practice of incorporating aluminum sulfate (referred to as alum) at 98 kg/100 m2); a novel litter amendment made from alum mud, bauxite, and sulfuric acid (alum mud litter amendment, AMLA) applied at different rates (49 and 98 kg/100 m2) and methods (surface applied or incorporated). Nitrous oxide emissions were low for all treatments in flocks 2 and 3 (0.40 and 0.37 mg m2 hr−1, respectively). The formation of caked litter (due to excessive moisture) during day 35 and 42 caused high variability in CH4 and CO2 emissions. Alum mud litter amendment and alum did not significantly affect GHGs emissions from litter, regardless of the amendment rate or application method. In fact, litter amendments such as alum and AMLA typically lower GHG emissions from poultry facilities by reducing ventilation requirements to maintain air quality in cooler months due to lower NH3 levels, resulting in less propane use and concomitant reductions in CO2 emissions.

scholarly journals The regional temperature implications of strong air quality measures

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (24) ◽  
pp. 15235-15245 ◽  
Author(s):  
Borgar Aamaas ◽  
Terje Koren Berntsen ◽  
Bjørn Hallvard Samset
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Co2 Emissions ◽  
Potential Temperature ◽  
Temperature Response ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Anthropogenic Emissions ◽  
Baseline Scenario ◽  
Emission Mitigation ◽  
Global Cooling ◽  
Regional Temperature

Abstract. Anthropogenic emissions of short-lived climate forcers (SLCFs) affect both air quality and climate. How much regional temperatures are affected by ambitious SLCF emission mitigation policies is, however, still uncertain. We investigate the potential temperature implications of stringent air quality policies by applying matrices of regional temperature responses to new pathways for future anthropogenic emissions of aerosols, methane (CH4), and other short-lived gases. These measures have only a minor impact on CO2 emissions. Two main options are explored, one with climate optimal reductions (i.e., constructed to yield a maximum global cooling) and one with the maximum technically feasible reductions. The temperature response is calculated for four latitude response bands (90–28∘ S, 28∘ S–28∘ N, 28–60∘ N, and 60–90∘ N) by using existing absolute regional temperature change potential (ARTP) values for four emission regions: Europe, East Asia, shipping, and the rest of the world. By 2050, we find that global surface temperature can be reduced by -0.3±0.08 ∘C with climate-optimal mitigation of SLCFs relative to a baseline scenario and as much as −0.7 ∘C in the Arctic. Cutting CH4 and black carbon (BC) emissions contributes the most. The net global cooling could offset warming equal to approximately 15 years of current global CO2 emissions. On the other hand, mitigation of other SLCFs (e.g., SO2) leads to warming. If SLCFs are mitigated heavily, we find a net warming of about 0.1 ∘C, but when uncertainties are included a slight cooling is also possible. In the climate optimal scenario, the largest contributions to cooling come from the energy, domestic, waste, and transportation sectors. In the maximum technically feasible mitigation scenario, emission changes from the industry, energy, and shipping sectors will cause warming. Some measures, such as those in the agriculture waste burning, domestic, transport, and industry sectors, have large impacts on the Arctic, especially by cutting BC emissions in winter in areas near the Arctic.

scholarly journals The Berkeley Environmental Air-quality and CO<sub>2</sub> Network: field calibrations of sensor temperature dependence and assessment of network scale CO<sub>2</sub> accuracy

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erin Rose Delaria ◽  
Jinsol Kim ◽  
Helen L. Fitzmaurice ◽  
Catherine Newman ◽  
Paul J. Wooldridge ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Temperature Dependence ◽  
Co2 Emissions ◽  
Total Error ◽  
Temperature Dependent ◽  
Dense Networks ◽  
Sensor Temperature ◽  
Zero Offset ◽  
Environmental Air ◽  
Point Line

Abstract. The majority of global CO2 emissions originate in cities. We have proposed that dense networks are a strategy for tracking changes to the processes contributing to urban CO2 emissions and suggested that a network with ∼2 km measurement spacing and ∼1 ppm node-to-node precision would be effective at constraining point, line and area sources within cities. Here we report on an assessment of the accuracy of the Berkeley Environmental Air-quality and CO2 Network (BEACO2N) CO2 measurements over several years of deployment. We describe a new procedure for improving network accuracy that accounts for and corrects the temperature dependent zero offset of the Vaisala CarboCap GMP343 CO2 sensors used. With this correction we show that a total error of 1.6 ppm or less can be achieved for networks that have a calibrated reference location and 3.6 ppm for networks without a calibrated reference.

scholarly journals The economy of Bulgarian Districts and its effect on environmental performance

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lyubomira Dimitrova
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Co2 Emissions ◽  
Environmental Performance ◽  
Significant Relation ◽  
Economic Variables ◽  
Per Capita ◽  
The Relationship

The aim of this study is to examine on the relationship between economic growth and environmental performance in the 28 Bulgarian districts for the period between 2010 and 2016. The results show that when in the cases where CO2 emissions are medium, the relationship with the economic growth is very weak. However, for those districts with higher CO2 emissions per capita there is a significant relation with the economic variables. This would mean that economic growth would have a strong effect on the air quality only after certain amount of CO2 emissions.

scholarly journals The Berkeley Environmental Air-quality and CO<sub>2</sub> Network: field calibrations of sensor temperature dependence and assessment of network scale CO<sub>2</sub> accuracy

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (8) ◽  
pp. 5487-5500
Author(s):  
Erin R. Delaria ◽  
Jinsol Kim ◽  
Helen L. Fitzmaurice ◽  
Catherine Newman ◽  
Paul J. Wooldridge ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Temperature Dependence ◽  
Co2 Emissions ◽  
Total Error ◽  
Temperature Dependent ◽  
Dense Networks ◽  
Sensor Temperature ◽  
Zero Offset ◽  
Environmental Air ◽  
Point Line

Abstract. The majority of global anthropogenic CO2 emissions originate in cities. We have proposed that dense networks are a strategy for tracking changes to the processes contributing to urban CO2 emissions and suggested that a network with ∼ 2 km measurement spacing and ∼ 1 ppm node-to-node precision would be effective at constraining point, line, and area sources within cities. Here, we report on an assessment of the accuracy of the Berkeley Environmental Air-quality and CO2 Network (BEACO2N) CO2 measurements over several years of deployment. We describe a new procedure for improving network accuracy that accounts for and corrects the temperature-dependent zero offset of the Vaisala CarboCap GMP343 CO2 sensors used. With this correction we show that a total error of 1.6 ppm or less can be achieved for networks that have a calibrated reference location and 3.6 ppm for networks without a calibrated reference.

scholarly journals The Impact of Decarbonization Scenarios on Air Quality and Human Health in Poland—Analysis of Scenarios up to 2050

Atmosphere ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 1222
Author(s):  
Janusz Zyśk ◽  
Artur Wyrwa ◽  
Wojciech Suwała ◽  
Marcin Pluta ◽  
Tadeusz Olkuski ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Co2 Emissions ◽  
System Analysis ◽  
Energy System ◽  
Years Of Life Lost ◽  
External Costs ◽  
Tertiary Sector ◽  
The Impact

Poland faces two great challenges in the field of environment and atmosphere protection: improving air quality, especially by reducing particulate matter (PM) emissions, and reducing relatively high greenhouse gas emissions. The aim of this research was to investigate how the fuel and technological transformations in the power, road transport, and household and tertiary sectors aimed at reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in Poland would affect air quality, human health, and the associated external costs. The study was conducted for 2050 while considering 2015 as the base year. Ambient PM2.5 (particles with a diameter of less than 2.5 µm) concentration was used as a proxy air quality indicator. The analysis was based on decarbonization scenarios developed within the REFLEX Project (Analysis of the European energy system under the aspects of flexibility and technological progress). The three scenarios of the REFLEX Project focused on the reduction of CO2 emissions up to 2050 from various sectors, mainly by the means of fuel and technological switches. This also led to the changes in the emission levels of pollutants that directly affect air quality, which were calculated with the use of fuel- and technology-specific emission factors. Next, for each emission scenario, ambient concentrations of PM2.5 and others pollutants were calculated with the use of the Polyphemus—an Eulerian-type air quality modelling system. Subsequently, the health impact of population exposed to air pollution and associated external costs were calculated using the πESA (Platform for Integrated Energy System Analysis) platform. The health impacts considered were the number of years of life lost, restricted activity days, and number of chronic bronchitis cases. The results showed that the largest reductions in both greenhouse gas and PM emissions—and consequently improvements of air quality resulting in a decrease of negative impacts on human health and a decrease of external costs—can be achieved by the transformation of heat production in the household and tertiary sector. The results also showed that the decrease in PM2.5 emissions envisaged in the analyzed scenarios in 2050 will lead to a reduction in the number of lost years of life by about 35 thousand and an avoidance of external costs by EUR 2.4 billion.

scholarly journals The regional temperature implications of strong air quality measures

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Borgar Aamaas ◽  
Terje K. Berntsen ◽  
Bjørn H. Samset
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Co2 Emissions ◽  
Potential Temperature ◽  
Temperature Response ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Anthropogenic Emissions ◽  
Baseline Scenario ◽  
Emission Mitigation ◽  
Regional Temperature ◽  
Emission Changes

Abstract. Anthropogenic emissions of short-lived climate forcers (SLCFs) affect both air quality and climate. How much regional temperatures are affected by ambitious SLCF emission mitigation policies, is however still uncertain. We investigate the potential temperature implications of stringent air quality policies, by applying matrices of regional temperature responses to new pathways for future anthropogenic emissions of aerosols, methane (CH4) and other short-lived gases. These measures have only minor impact on CO2 emissions. Two main options are explored, one with climate optimal reductions (i.e. constructed to yield a maximum global cooling) and one with maximum technically feasible reductions. The temperature response is calculated for four latitude response bands (90–28° S, 28° S–28° N, 28–60° N, and 60–90° N) by using existing regional temperature change potential (ARTP) values for four emission regions: Europe, East Asia, shipping, and the rest of the world. By 2050, we find that global surface temperature can be reduced by −0.3 ± 0.08 °C with climate-optimal mitigation of SLCFs relative to a baseline scenario, and as much as −0.7 °C in the Arctic. Cutting CH4 and BC emissions contribute the most. This could offset warming equal to approximately 15 years of current global CO2 emissions. If SLCFs are mitigated heavily, we find a net warming of about 0.1 °C, but when uncertainties are included a slight cooling is also possible. In the climate optimal scenario, the largest contributions to cooling comes from the energy, domestic, waste, and transportation sectors. In the maximum technically feasible mitigation scenario, emission changes from the sectors industry, energy, and shipping will give warming. Some measures, such as in the sectors agriculture waste burning, domestic, transport, and industry, have outsized impact on the Arctic, especially by cutting BC emissions in winter in areas near the Arctic.

Impact of reduced mass of light commercial vehicles on fuel consumption, CO2 emissions, air quality, and socio-economic costs

2018 ◽  
Vol 613-614 ◽  
pp. 409-417 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Cecchel ◽  
D. Chindamo ◽  
E. Turrini ◽  
C. Carnevale ◽  
G. Cornacchia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Fuel Consumption ◽  
Co2 Emissions ◽  
Economic Costs ◽  
Commercial Vehicles

scholarly journals Potential impact of a US climate policy and air quality regulations on future air quality and climate change

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (8) ◽  
pp. 5323-5342 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yunha Lee ◽  
Drew T. Shindell ◽  
Greg Faluvegi ◽  
Rob W. Pinder
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Climate Change ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Climate Policy ◽  
Co2 Emissions ◽  
Radiative Forcing ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
The Us ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Indirect Forcing

Abstract. We have investigated how future air quality and climate change are influenced by the US air quality regulations that existed or were proposed in 2013 and a hypothetical climate mitigation policy that aims to reduce 2050 CO2 emissions to be 50 % below 2005 emissions. Using the NASA GISS ModelE2 general circulation model, we look at the impacts for year 2030 and 2055. The US energy-sector emissions are from the GLIMPSE project (GEOS-Chem LIDORT Integrated with MARKAL (MARKet ALlocation) for the Purpose of Scenario Exploration), and other US emissions data sets and the rest of the world emissions data sets are based on the RCP4.5 scenario. The US air quality regulations are projected to have a strong beneficial impact on US air quality and public health in year 2030 and 2055 but result in positive radiative forcing. Under this scenario, no more emission constraints are added after 2020, and the impacts on air quality and climate change are similar between year 2030 and 2055. Surface particulate matter with a diameter smaller than 2.5 µm (PM2.5) is reduced by ∼ 2 µg m−3 on average over the USA, and surface ozone by ∼ 8 ppbv. The improved air quality prevents about 91 400 premature deaths in the USA, mainly due to the PM2.5 reduction (∼ 74 200 lives saved). The air quality regulations reduce the light-reflecting aerosols (i.e., sulfate and organic matter) more than the light-absorbing species (i.e., black carbon and ozone), leading to a strong positive radiative forcing (RF) over the USA by both aerosols' direct and indirect forcing: the total RF is  ∼ 0.04 W m−2 over the globe, and ∼ 0.8 W m−2 over the USA. Under the hypothetical climate policy, a future CO2 emissions cut is achieved in part by relying less on coal, and thus SO2 emissions are noticeably reduced. This provides air quality co-benefits, but it could lead to potential climate disbenefits over the USA. In 2055, the US mean total RF is +0.22 W m−2 due to positive aerosol direct and indirect forcing, while the global mean total RF is −0.06 W m−2 due to the dominant negative CO2 RF (instantaneous RF). To achieve a regional-scale climate benefit via a climate policy, it is critical (1) to have multinational efforts to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and (2) to simultaneously target emission reduction of light-absorbing species (e.g., BC and O3) on top of long-lived species. The latter is very desirable as the resulting climate benefit occurs faster and provides co-benefits to air quality and public health.

scholarly journals A clean environmental week: Let the nature breathe!

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Khaled Moustafa
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Circadian Rhythms ◽  
Co2 Emissions ◽  
Living System ◽  
Industrial Processes ◽  
Toxic Pollutants ◽  
The Earth ◽  
The World ◽  
Import And Export

High levels of CO2 emissions in the atmosphere and toxic pollutants in the air, water and food have serious repercussions on all life's systems, including living beings, environment and economy. Everyone on the Earth is concerned by pollution in some way or another, no matter where and how the pollution is produced as airborne and foodborne pollutants could circulate around the world in different ways, through for example climate components (wind, rain) and/or import and export of foodstuffs. Similarly to living beings that take advantage of day-night circadian rhythms to recover after diurnal hardships, the environment in its entirety could also be seen as a complex living system that needs regular breaks to assimilate or ingest toxic pollutants produced during intensive and continuous industrial processes. If greenhouses gas emissions and pollution rates continue to increase at the same rates as they are nowadays, uncontrollable climate effects might be inevitable and the air quality in some crowded cities in the world might be hardly respirable in the future. A global "Clean Environmental Week" is discussed as an attempt toward reducing air pollution and CO2 emissions through the interruption or reduction of industrial polluting activities regularly, for a week or so per year, to let the nature 'breathe' and recover from environmentally challenging pollutions. A clean environmental period of 10 days per year could reduce CO2 emissions by about one billion tons of CO2 per annum

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