Views across the city
On April 7th, Los Angeles saw some of the cleanest air of any major city in the world, according to IQAir, a Swiss air quality technology company which also monitors pollution levels in cities around the globe. Residents of the city of Angels could see an obvious difference by simply looking out their windows.
In New Delhi, residents are reporting a phenomenon they haven’t seen in many years - a blue sky. Towns more than a hundred miles from the Himalayas can now see snow peaks, where the sky was hazy and thick with smog before.
In China, the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide emissions declined by a quarter in mid-February from a few weeks earlier, according to an analysis published in Carbon Brief.
Experts warn that it’s temporary
Experts from around the globe are warning that this short reprieve from pollution is not enough to create a long term impact. Many are concerned that when restrictions are lifted, factories and communities will be ramping up in order to make up for time lost in production.
Experts also say that these positive effects should be an eye opener for all of us to try a little harder to improve the environment.