COVID-19 Lockdown and the Impact on Mobility, Air Quality, and Utility Consumption: A Case Study from Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

Abdallah Shanableh, Rami Al-Ruzouq, Mohamad Ali Khalil, Mohamed Barakat A. Gibril, Khaled Hamad, Mohamad Alhosani, Mohammed Hashem Stietiya, Mayyada Al Bardan, Saeed Al Mansoori and Nezar Atalla Hammouri
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Abdallah Shanableh: Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, University of Sharjah, Sharjah 27272, United Arab Emirates
Rami Al-Ruzouq: Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, University of Sharjah, Sharjah 27272, United Arab Emirates
Mohamad Ali Khalil: Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, University of Sharjah, Sharjah 27272, United Arab Emirates
Mohamed Barakat A. Gibril: GIS and Remote Sensing Center, Research Institute of Sciences and Engineering, University of Sharjah, Shajah 27272, United Arab Emirates
Khaled Hamad: Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, University of Sharjah, Sharjah 27272, United Arab Emirates
Mohamad Alhosani: Division of Consultancy, Research and Innovation (CRI), Sharjah Environment Company—Bee’ah, Sharjah 20248, United Arab Emirates
Mohammed Hashem Stietiya: Division of Consultancy, Research and Innovation (CRI), Sharjah Environment Company—Bee’ah, Sharjah 20248, United Arab Emirates
Mayyada Al Bardan: Sharjah Electricity, Water, and Gas Authority, Sharjah 135, United Arab Emirates
Saeed Al Mansoori: Applications Development and Analysis Section (ADAS), Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), Dubai 211833, United Arab Emirates
Nezar Atalla Hammouri: Department of Applied Physics and Astronomy, University of Sharjah, Sharjah 27272, United Arab Emirates

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 3, 1-24

Abstract: This study presents an analysis of the impact of COVID-19 lockdown on people’s mobility trends, air quality, and utility consumption in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates (UAE). Records of lockdown and subsequent easing measures, infection and vaccination rates, community mobility reports, remotely sensed and ground-based air quality data, and utility (electricity, water, and gas) consumption data were collected and analyzed in the study. The mobility trends reflected the stringency of the lockdown measures, increasing in the residential sector but decreasing in all other sectors. The data showed significant improvement in air quality corresponding to the lockdown measures in 2020 followed by gradual deterioration as the lockdown measures were eased. Electricity and water consumption increased in the residential sector during the lockdown; however, overall utility consumption did not show significant changes. The changes in mobility were correlated with the relevant air quality parameters, such as NO 2 , which in turn was highly correlated to O 3 . The study provides data and analysis to support future planning and response efforts in Sharjah. Furthermore, the methodology used in the study can be applied to assess the impacts of COVID-19 or similar events on people’s mobility, air quality and utility consumption at other geographical locations.

Keywords: COVID-19; Sharjah; UAE; air quality; air pollution; mobility; utilities; consumption; energy; google community reports (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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