Atmospheric Emission Changes and Their Economic Impacts during the COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown in Argentina

Tomás R. Bolaño-Ortiz, S. Enrique Puliafito, Lucas L. Berná-Peña, Romina M. Pascual-Flores, Josefina Urquiza and Yiniva Camargo-Caicedo
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Tomás R. Bolaño-Ortiz: Mendoza Regional Faculty—National Technological University (FRM-UTN), Ciudad-Capital, Mendoza M5500, Argentina
S. Enrique Puliafito: Mendoza Regional Faculty—National Technological University (FRM-UTN), Ciudad-Capital, Mendoza M5500, Argentina
Lucas L. Berná-Peña: Mendoza Regional Faculty—National Technological University (FRM-UTN), Ciudad-Capital, Mendoza M5500, Argentina
Romina M. Pascual-Flores: Mendoza Regional Faculty—National Technological University (FRM-UTN), Ciudad-Capital, Mendoza M5500, Argentina
Josefina Urquiza: Mendoza Regional Faculty—National Technological University (FRM-UTN), Ciudad-Capital, Mendoza M5500, Argentina
Yiniva Camargo-Caicedo: Environmental Systems Modeling Research Group (GIMSA), Universidad del Magdalena, Santa Marta 470004, Colombia

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 20, 1-29

Abstract: This work studied the emission changes and their economic effects during the Argentina’s COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. We have analyzed the atmospheric emissions of the main greenhouse gases (GHG: CO 2 , CH 4 , and N 2 O) and other pollutants (NOx, CO, NMVOC, SO 2 , PM 10 , PM 2.5 , and BC) from various sectors such as private road transport, freight, public transport, agriculture machines, thermal power plants, residential, commercial, and governmental from January 2005 to April 2020. We focused on the months with the greatest restrictions of COVID-19 pandemic in Argentina (March and April 2020). The results show emissions reduction up to 37% for PM 10 , PM 2.5 , 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 same period. As a consequence, 3337 Gg of CO 2eq of GHG emissions were reduced, corresponding to a 20% reduction compared to the same period in 2019. Besides, a 26% reduction in gross domestic product (GDP) was observed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Our results show that each Tg of GHG 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 technological changes, reduction in GHG would still be associated with deepening inequalities and asymmetries between high and low consumption sectors (i.e., with better (lesser) education, health, and job opportunities), even within countries and cities.

Keywords: COVID-19; anthropogenic emission; atmospheric emissions; greenhouse gases; aerosols; air quality; economic impact; GDP; Argentina (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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