UN Secretary-General’s Policy Brief warned that if the cities are going to be unlocked without policies to prevent air pollution and promoting de-carbonisation, it would lead to the effect the temporary environmental gains which has fell down by the level of nitrogen dioxide in the atmosphere in many cities during the lockdown, even in New Delhi it fell by more than 70%.
The policy also mentioned that around 90% of Covid-19 cases are reported by urban areas and which has become the epicentre of the pandemic. It is also noted by several new scientific studies that the higher Covid-19 mortality rates are due to the poor air quality. With a huge population and having a high level of global and local interconnectivity resulting in the virus to spread more vulnerably.
Antonio Guterres, UN Cheif said, “We must act with the same urgency and resolve to transform cities and address the climate and pollution crises. Now is the time to rethink and reshape the urban world.”
The sharp fall in the Greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution during pandemic benefited in environmental gains which seems to be temporary with the unlocking of cities. The policy noted that higher rates of virus transmission is in urban areas while cites are well organised and taking care of people around them to avoid the spread of the virus. New evidence is also pointing to have an impact on pregnant women and newborn babies as well as maternal mortality.

Read EquityPandit’s Nifty Outlook for the Week