May 1, 2024

Jessica A. Dennehy

10th Grade

Williamsville East High School

In the past few centuries, the human pursuit of industry and wealth has greatly upset the balance of the ecosystems and environments that make up planet Earth. All aspects of the environment have been negatively impacted by the rapid industrialization of society, from the atmosphere to the waters that comprise the oceans and seas. With hundreds of species now gone, air quality radically impaired, and landfills currently towering taller than the Statue of Liberty, there have been decades of repercussions felt by the environment. Yet, amidst the continual environmental degradation, an unexpected reprieve came in the form of the COVID-19 pandemic. Or did it? 

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the mandate of widespread “stay-at-home” orders in many countries, leading to what would later be termed “lockdown”. This period brought the world to a standstill: industries were struck reeling, travel was nearly non-existent, and millions were left unemployed. As a result of decreased activity during the COVID-19 pandemic, carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions were severely reduced in the first half of 2020, decreasing by 5.4%. Other environmental benefits of the shutdown included major improvements in air quality in various urban centers worldwide, reductions in water and noise pollution, and alleviation of stressors impacting the ecological systems of popular tourist destinations. 

While certainly a silver lining during such a challenging period, the environmental improvements made did not fully address the overarching issue, nor the human tendency to continue harming the environment in new ways. By September 2020, CO2 emissions had already rebounded to the previous year's levels, driven by the relaxation of lockdown mandates and the subsequent economic recovery as society adapted to the new health restrictions. The temporary reduction in CO2 emissions observed in 2020 was deemed a “one-time dip” with negligible impact on the overall buildup of atmospheric CO2. 

Furthermore, despite the temporary decrease in emissions, the overall amount of CO2 continued to increase at the same rate as in previous years, accounting for the natural variation present in natural processes. Additionally, the ocean's capacity to absorb CO2, typically facilitated by algae's photosynthesis processes, diminished in comparison to previous years. Scientists suspect that this phenomenon resulted from the reduced pressure of CO2 in the air directly above the ocean's surface. 

In addition to CO2, the pandemic was also responsible for decreasing the amount of nitrogen oxides (NOx) emitted. NOx, when exposed to sunlight, reacts with other atmospheric compounds to synthesize ozone, which is harmful to plant, animal, and human life. When the amount of NOx emitted decreased as a result of the pandemic, the amount of global ozone decreased as well. However, studies from NASA have determined that the pollutant that is NOx temporarily forms a short-lived molecule called a hydroxyl radical when in the atmosphere. This hydroxyl radical plays an important role in breaking down long-lived gasses present in the atmosphere. Although limiting NOx is considered beneficial, it has decreased the atmospheric ability to cleanse the atmosphere of other, more heat-storing greenhouse gasses, including methane. 

Methane is a gas that, compared to CO2, is far more effective at storing and trapping heat. Just like CO2, methane emissions supposedly decreased during the pandemic, with estimates of a reduction of up to 10%. However, just like CO2, the drop in emissions didn’t correlate to a drop in atmospheric concentration. In contrast, the concentration of methane increased by 0.3% in 2021 alone – the greatest rate increase in the past decade. With less NOx, and correspondingly, fewer hydroxyl radicals present in the atmosphere, the increased concentration of methane is not leaving the atmosphere at the rates it should be. 

Besides the increased concentration of many greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere that are not breaking down at normal, let alone ideal, rates, COVID-19 introduced additional negative environmental risks. Through the pandemic, the amount of improperly disposed medical waste increased as well. The number of masks, gloves, and disinfectants present in the oceans eclipse even the number of jellyfish, casting a sobering shadow on our environmental responsibilities as inhabitants of Earth. Although the COVID-19 pandemic isn’t directly responsible for many of our environmental concerns, it has shed light on the scale and intensity of our impact on the planet. As the world emerges from the dark times of the pandemic, the knowledge gleaned should serve as baselines illuminating the path forward. Now the bigger question looms: What will be done with this newfound knowledge to pave a brighter, better future for the environment?