The Positive Effects of Covid-19 Lockdown on Environmental Attributes: A Review

Abstract

The effect of covid 19 on human health was devastating and the fatality rate was high around the world. World Health Organization declared the outburst of this infectious disease a pandemic situation. To check the rapid dispersal of the COVID-19 virus, most countries of the world enforced quarantine and strict lockdown. The effects of COVID-19 lockdown on environmental health draw the attention of the scientific communities. Therefore, this research paper inspected and narratively reviewed the observed effects of COVID-19 lockdown on the changes in the environmental quality based on secondary research data. The work provides a distinct indication considering the impacts executed by COVID-19 lockdown on the air, water, soil, and noise as typical environment elements. It has been widely reported that the amount of pollution in the air, water, soil, and noise exhibited a significant decline during lockdown period. It has been noticed in different literature that global air quality improved because of less anthropogenic emissions of air contaminants and atmospheric particles. For instance, releases of carbon, nitrogen, sulfur and particulate matter are reduced and ozone layers were reported to being increased. Aquatic life and water ecosystem have also been restored in many countries due to less commercial fishing. Moreover, soil pollution was less due to a significant decrease in solid and water waste dumping. Because of less transportation of vehicles, industrial and other urban activities, sound pollution dropped to a significant level. Clean beaches, transparent seawater, wildlife sightings and free movement of animals and birds were also found in some counties during lockdown. However, these effects of lockdown were temporary, as the world again enters the pre-lockdown situation. Human attitudes must be changed to continue the positive impact on the environment. World policymakers should take the necessary steps to guarantee the steadiness of the positive environmental effects derived from the COVID-19 lockdown.