Atmospheric Emission Changes and Their Economic Impacts During the COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown in Argent

BOLAÑO-ORTIZ, TOMÁS; PULIAFITO, S. ENRIQUE; BERNÁ PEÑA, LUCAS LUCIANO; PASCUAL FLORES, ROMINA M.; URQUIZA, JOSEFINA; CAMARGO-CAICEDO, YINIVA

Sustainability

MDPI AG

Año: 2020 vol. 12

2071-1050

This work studied the emission changes and their economic effects during the Argentina?sCOVID-19 pandemic lockdown. We have analyzed the atmospheric emissions of the maingreenhouse gases (GHG: CO2, CH4, and N2O) and other pollutants (NOx, CO, NMVOC, SO2, PM10,PM2.5, and BC) from various sectors such as private road transport, freight, public transport,agriculture machines, thermal power plants, residential, commercial, and governmental fromJanuary 2005 to April 2020. We focused on the months with the greatest restrictions of COVID-19pandemic in Argentina (March and April 2020). The results show emissions reduction up to 37% forPM10, PM2.5, and BC, consistent with observed from satellite images and up to 160% for NOx, CO,NMVOC, and SOx. However, the residential sector has increased their emissions by 8% for the sameperiod. As a consequence, 3337 Gg of CO2eq of GHG emissions were reduced, corresponding to a20% reduction compared to the same period in 2019. Besides, a 26% reduction in gross domesticproduct (GDP) was observed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Our results show that each Tg ofGHG reduction was associated to a 0.16% reduction of the GDP from the analyzed sectors. Thus,without a voluntary reduction in consumption associated to significant cultural and technologicalchanges, reduction in GHG would still be associated with deepening inequalities and asymmetriesbetween high and low consumption sectors (i.e., with better (lesser) education, health, and jobopportunities), even within countries and cities.