CRRP2021-02MY-Latif
Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on air quality of the Monsoon Asia region: Cross-country assessment and facilitating policy
This project is sponsored by Asia Pacific Network for Global Change Research. The project initiated by researchers under International Global Atmospheric Chemistry – Monsoon Asia and Oceania Networking Group (IGAC-Mango). This study aims to investigate the relationship between COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns and the air quality at major cities in 13 countries within the Monsoon Asia region. Changes in major air pollutants such as particulate matter (PM), nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulphur dioxide (SO2), carbon monoxide (CO) and ozone (O3) for all the countries involved will be assessed and compared using available satellite and ground-level data. The number of COVID-19 cases in major cities in the selected countries will be collected via relevant agencies that monitor the number of COVID-19 cases in each country. Temporal changes in concentrations of criteria airborne pollutants prior, during and post COVID-19 lockdowns will be examined. Other concurrent factors affecting the resultant amounts of air pollutants such as changes in the number of motor vehicles, industrial emissions and weather will be investigated. Concurrent with data evaluation, this study will build interactions with policymakers and stakeholders to engage their needs and interests in the association between COVID-19 effects and the resultant air quality. The proposed studies are expected to generate cross-country comparisons in air quality and associated dominant factors during the pandemic lockdowns, as well as to enhance country-dependent science-policy interactions.
Project Leader
Mohd Talib Latif (University Kebangsaan Malaysia)
Project Member
Hiroshi Tanimoto (National Institute for Environmental Studies)
Abdus Salam (University of Dhaka)
Puji Lestari (Ir, Institut Teknologi Bandung)
Nguyen Thi Kim Oanh (Asian Institute of Technology)
James H. Crawford (NASA Langley Research Center)
Ohnmar May Tin Hlaing (Environmental Quality Management Co. Ltd)
Warnakulasuriya Roshani Loreta Hiranthi Jansz (Eng, Central Environmental Authority)
Maria Obiminda L. Cambaliza (Ateneo de Manila University)
Murnira Othman (Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia)
Chang-Keun Song (Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology)
Liya E. Yu (National University of Singapore)
Manish Kumar Naja (Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences)
Muhammad Fahim Khokhar (National University of Sciences and Technology)
To Thi Hien (Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City)
Project Timeline
October 2021-September 2023
Research Assistant
Dr Nor Diana Abdul Halim (From December 2021-until March 2022): Email: missdianahalim@gmail.com
Dr Noorain Purhanudin (From April 2022-Present): Email: noorainpurhanudin@ukm.edu.my
Nor Syamimi Sufiera Limi Hawari (From April 2022-Present): Email: mimiefyera@gmail.com
Project Activity
This training has been conducted by researchers from NASA and EUMETSAT between 21st and 25th March 2022 under the Asia Pacific Network for Global Change Research Grant entitles “Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on air quality of the Monsoon Asia region: Cross-country assessment and facilitating policy”.
Photo of training on determination of air pollutants using satellite images
