Effects of the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic on CO 2 Emissions in the Port Areas of the Strait of Messina

Concettina Marino, Antonino Nucara (), Maria Francesca Panzera and Matilde Pietrafesa
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Concettina Marino: Department of Civil, Energetic, Environmental and Material Engineering, Mediterranea University of Reggio Calabria, 89122 Reggio Calabria, Italy
Antonino Nucara: Department of Civil, Energetic, Environmental and Material Engineering, Mediterranea University of Reggio Calabria, 89122 Reggio Calabria, Italy
Maria Francesca Panzera: Department of Civil, Energetic, Environmental and Material Engineering, Mediterranea University of Reggio Calabria, 89122 Reggio Calabria, Italy
Matilde Pietrafesa: Department of Civil, Energetic, Environmental and Material Engineering, Mediterranea University of Reggio Calabria, 89122 Reggio Calabria, Italy

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 12, 1-30

Abstract: The Strait of Messina is characterised by a significant ship flow, especially of ferries, between its two shores. The ferry services involve four harbours, located on the Sicilian and Calabrian shores. During the epidemic emergency related to the SARS-CoV-2 virus, due to the restrictions adopted to counteract the spread of the infection, a significant reduction in ferry activities and vehicle flow occurred. These circumstances made flow data, related to different actual scenarios, available and allowed the assessment of the environmental impact of the port area. Therefore, the port area became a noteworthy case study, suited to draw conclusions regarding possible future courses of action designed to curb greenhouse gas emissions in these types of settlements. In the study, in order to assess the effect of different levels of human activity on pollutant emissions, the total CO 2 emissions from ferry activities in two successive years, 2019 before the spread of the virus and 2020 when the epidemic was at its peak, were evaluated and compared. The EMEP/EEA methodology was used and, as a result, an overall reduction of 13.2% in CO 2eq yearly emission rates was observed, with the major reduction of 2784 tCO 2eq due to maritime traffic.

Keywords: SARS-CoV-2 pandemic; CO 2 emissions; maritime traffic; road traffic; Strait of Messina; port area GWP (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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