War Impact on Air Quality in Ukraine

Rasa Zalakeviciute (), Danilo Mejia, Hermel Alvarez, Xavier Bermeo, Santiago Bonilla-Bedoya, Yves Rybarczyk and Brian Lamb
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Rasa Zalakeviciute: Grupo de Biodiversidad Medio Ambiente y Salud (BIOMAS), Universidad de Las Américas, UDLA, Vía a Nayón, Quito 170124, Ecuador
Danilo Mejia: Grupo CATOx, CEA de la Universidad de Cuenca, Cuenca 010107, Ecuador
Hermel Alvarez: Grupo de Ecología Acuática, Universidad de Cuenca, Cuenca 010107, Ecuador
Xavier Bermeo: Bermeo-Idrovo Law firm, George Washington y Amazonas, Quito 170520, Ecuador
Santiago Bonilla-Bedoya: Research Center for the Territory and Sustainable Habitat, Universidad Tecnológica Indoamérica, Machala, Quito 170301, Ecuador
Yves Rybarczyk: Faculty of Data and Information Sciences, Dalarna University, 791 88 Falun, Sweden
Brian Lamb: Laboratory for Atmospheric Research, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-2910, USA

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 21, 1-20

Abstract: In the light of the 21st century, after two devastating world wars, humanity still has not learned to solve their conflicts through peaceful negotiations and dialogue. Armed conflicts, both international and within a single state, still cause devastation, displacement, and death all over the world. Not to mention the consequences that war has on the environment. Due to a lack of published research about war impact on modern air quality, this work studies air pollution evolution during the first months of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. Satellite images of NO 2 , CO, O 3 , SO 2 , and PM 2.5 over Ukrainian territory and PM 2.5 land monitoring data for Kyiv were analyzed. The results showed that NO 2 and PM 2.5 correlated the most with war activities. CO and O3 levels increased, while SO 2 concentrations reduced four-fold as war intensified. Drastic increases in pollution (especially PM 2.5 ) from bombing and structural fires, raise additional health concerns, which might have serious implications for the exposed local and regional populations. This study is an invaluable proof of the impact any armed conflict has on air quality, the population, and environment.

Keywords: human conflicts; war; atmospheric emissions; air pollution (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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