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Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research

Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research

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Project • CRRP2021-02MY-Latif

Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on air quality of the Monsoon Asia region: Crosscountry assessment and facilitating policy

This study aims to investigate the relationship between COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns and the air quality at major cities in 13 countries within the Monsoon Asia region. Changes in major air  pollutants such as particulate matter (PM), nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulphur dioxide (SO2), carbon monoxide (CO) and ozone (O3) for all the countries involved will be assessed and compared using available satellite and ground-level data. The number of COVID-19 cases in major cities in the selected countries will be collected via relevant agencies that monitor the number of COVID-19 cases  in each country. Temporal changes in concentrations of criteria airborne pollutants prior, during and post COVID-19 lockdowns will be examined. Other concurrent factors affecting the resultant amounts of air pollutants such as changes in the number of motor vehicles, industrial emissions and weather will be investigated. Concurrent with data evaluation, this study will build interactions with policymakers and stakeholders to engage their needs and interests in the association between COVID-19 effects and the resultant air quality. The proposed studies are expected to generate cross-country comparisons in air quality and associated dominant factors during the pandemic lockdowns, as well as to enhance country-dependent science-policy interactions.