Our ultimate satisfaction comes from living in harmony with people and the environment: let’s respect the laws of the blue sky.
After nearly four month since COVID-19 restrictions started in China, global statistics about air quality, as measured by Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) and Carbon Monoxide (CO), show values still below the 2019 levels but there are indications they are starting to re-bound in some areas.
Continue reading “Update on air pollution during COVID-19 – April data”
Two major air chemical components, which are also atmospheric pollutants, are shown here as a way to detect the changes in air pollution during the period of COVID-19 restrictions. Weekly values from the start of the year for Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) and Carbon Monoxide (CO), both of them as total column, are displayed for the first weeks of the year (from 1st January).
As we discussed in our previous post, acknowledging the tragic impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on lives and livelihoods, this unprecedented situation presents us with an interesting opportunity to uncover what happens to the air quality around us and worldwide. The data presented here are taken from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS). Specifically, data come from the CAMS Near Real Time (NRT) Re-analysis which is available a few days behind real time. Re-analyses are combinations of observations (from ground stations, satellite, etc.) and a very advanced physical model. The CAMS NRT Re-analysis is downloaded at ca. 50 km x 50 km horizontal spatial resolution and every six hours (namely four values daily, at 00:00 UTC, 06:00 UTC, 12:00 UTC and 18:00 UTC).
Given the dependency of these variables of external conditions such as type of weather, economic productivity, traffic, etc. a week average is about the shortest time recommended when comparing these type of data across years, though monthly averages would perhaps be more appropriate. As we know, the restrictions due to the coronovirus have have been occurring at different times in various parts of the globe so weekly averages help us better relate these changes with the times the restrictions have been enforced. For a proper comparison, we would also need to assess external factors, so the data below need to be interpreted with a grain of salt. Also, due to the nature of these data there can be discrepancies between the CAMS NRT Re-analysis and the maps which often appear on the web and derived from Sentinel-5P/TROPOMI. Importantly, some, though not all, of these estimates are flawed as discussed in this blog from CAMS.
The movies show the weeks of the year (available to date, i.e. currently week 26) grouped into four, with the following pattern: full field for 2019 (top left), full field for 2019 (top left), difference between 2020 and 2019 (positive means higher values in 2020 compared to 2019, and vice-versa, bottom left), and difference between 2020 and 2019 as a percentage (bottom right). Five views are shown for each variable: Global, Europe, (a large part of) Asia, North America and Middle East. The number in square bracket on the titles is the weighted average for the region. These images will be regularly updated as more recent data become available. Monthly averages are avaialble on request.
For further information, please contact Prof. Alberto Troccoli (alberto.troccoli -at- wemcouncil.org
Data courtesy of Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS)
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The documented link between socio-economic activities and the climate goes back centuries. While studies have shown a link between latitude and average temperature and economic output, through a country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for example, other meteorological variables also have an important part to play.
Continue reading “Press Release – Take a rain check: How climate variations affect worldwide socio-economic activity”
The dramatic spread of the COVID-19 Coronavirus has led to several countries restricting the movement of people, including air travel. Previously, we’ve only seen government responses like this when concerned with more terrorist-related incidents – such as the tragic events of September 11 nearly twenty years ago when air traffic ground to a halt for several days. The fact that a virus is causing a larger, more extreme reaction is unheard of.
But this COVID-19 outbreak does present us with an interesting opportunity to uncover what happens to the air quality, and pollution in general, when human induced emissions are forcibly halted.
These new striking images from NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) show significant decreases in nitrogen dioxide (NO2) over China since the restrictions began. It’s pretty clear that this rapid drop in NO2 is mainly due to the remarkable reduction in human activity as a consequence of the coronavirus outbreak. Even more impressive changes are seen when you focus specifically on the epicentre of the COVID-19 outbreak in the Wuhan region.
Almost by coincidence, Italy has also been hit, particularly in Lombardy in the north which is one of the most polluted areas in Europe in terms of air quality. Now on total lockdown, this country has the largest number of COVID-19 cases in the whole of Europe.
But, similarly to China, the highly industrialized region of Lombardy in northern Italy has seen a drastic improvement in air quality since the lockdown began. While there may be meteorological factors at play here, it’s almost inevitable that this reduction is a direct consequence of the reduced traffic and economic activity.
First and foremost, it seems evident that a drastic reduction in economic activity and traffic can lead to a sudden (within days as opposed to years) improvement in air quality. We’re not at all suggesting that this sort of economic pause is an exercise worth carrying out just for the sake of seeing a drop in NO2 or PM10 measurements. Particularly given the drastic drop in the stock market which has wiped out over 15% of value in just a few weeks. But it is worth considering how we can conduct business in a way that is more balanced with the environment, and ultimately, with our health.
Think about it. If we all adopted a greener way of doing business, almost paradoxically, the better air quality might allow our bodies to be stronger and potentially be more efficient at battling unwarranted respiratory viruses like COVID-19.
But how can we achieve such reductions in pollution without damaging the economy? The fact is that the solutions are already available to us, if only we were more willing to embrace change.
For instance, imagine what an (almost) entirely electric fleet would do for the quality of the air? And what if there were enough wind and solar parks, as well as hydro power, to produce enough electricity to displace fossil fuel-based power plants? But it’s not only large changes. What if we decided to shop more locally instead of importing? It could reduce the movement of goods and benefit your local economy. Or how about conducting a meeting remotely through a conference call system, thus avoiding travel emissions? Even taking the bus or cycling to work, or simply taking the less-beaten, more traffic-light road with the assistance of your navigator, could have a positive impact.
If nothing else, we should all take this opportunity to see how each one of us can contribute to improving the environment, and our quality of life. Old habits die hard, but if we all band together and learn from the COVID-19 lockdowns and the resulting environmental impacts, we may yet be able to mitigate the effects of pollution and even climate change.
I will be hosting the second stakeholder workshop, taking place at the Hotel Palazzo delle Stelline in Milan, Italy. Join our team of climate researchers and experts from the energy and water industries, to explore the ways seasonal climate forecast models can be assessed and combined to increase their value.
I am pleased to announce ICEM2019, the 6th International Conference Energy and Meteorology will be in Copenhagen 24-27th June, 2019.
This unique platform offers you the opportunity to learn how meteorological and climate information can help the energy industry develop more resilient and cleaner energy systems, that will help to mitigate the effects of climate change and global warming.
World Energy & Meteorology Council (WEMC) Managing Director, Professor Alberto Troccoli, played a leading role in the global discussion on climate and energy at the recent United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP24). WEMC was invited to take part in five key events at the conference, which took place at the International Congress Centre (MCK) in Katowice from 2-14 December.
Heralded as the most important discussion on global climate change since the global community set out the Paris Agreement in 2015, COP24 brought together world leaders, politicians, scientists and climate change experts from over 200 countries, to discuss plans for implementing the international climate agreement. The conference focused on establishing a ‘rulebook’ for countries to follow in an effort to reduce emissions and limit global warming to well below 2°C, with a stretch target of 1.5°C; a figure highlighted as even more important by recent research released by the recent IPCC report.
Professor Troccoli said: “The COP24 conference was a key event in the international effort to tackle climate change and global warming. We were delighted to have the opportunity to join our partner organisations in contributing to this important global discussion and represent the work WEMC and our partners are doing to support the energy and meteorology industries in helping to mitigate climate change.”
Alongside colleagues from the World Meteorology Organization and the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), Professor Troccoli discussed the growing relationship between energy, weather and climate, and the benefits of collaborative working and shared information for both the energy industry and meteorologists.
The events included a panel discussion hosted by the World Meteorology Organization, which looked at Clean and Affordable Energy for Sustainable Urbanization and Development. The discussion explored the transitions needed to provide reliable access to clean energy in rapidly developing urban centres and smart, green megacities.
WEMC also led a side event for UNITAR’s series of Climate Classrooms, focusing on Climate Information to Optimise Renewable Energy. As part of the classroom, Professor Troccoli introduced two key projects that WEMC is involved in – C3S Energy, featuring the C3S Climate Data Store and the C3S European Climatic Energy Mixes (ECEM) Demonstrator:
and the SECLI-FIRM EU H2020 project – the Added Value of Seasonal Climate Forecasting for Integrated Risk Assessment: how using improved climate forecasts, out to several months ahead, can add practical and economic value to decision-making processes and outcomes in both the energy and water sectors.
In the second week of the conference, Professor Troccoli joined Elżbieta Bieńkowska, European Commissioner for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, and other eminent speakers from ECWMF, WMO, C3S, UNFCCC and SMHI, for a panel discussion to present The Global Reach of the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), a key service of the European Union’s flagship Earth observation programme.
You can see a live recording of the event here.
The panel discussion was followed by a ‘Meet the Expert’ session, offering delegates the opportunity to meet with experts from the weather, climate and energy sectors, to learn more about their work.
In the final event, Professor Troccoli joined representatives from Chinese energy company, GEIDCO, and other leading experts from the international energy, research and environment sectors on a panel to discuss Energy Interconnection: Advancing Energy Transition for Sustainable Development.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Biography – Professor Alberto Troccoli
Publications
Alberto Troccoli, Editor (2018). Weather & Climate Services for the Energy Industry
Troccoli, A. and Boscolo, R. (2015). Climate Services for the Energy Sector: A New GFCS Priority Area. [online] World Meteorological Organization
Pittock, J., Hussey, K. and Dovers, S. (2015). Climate, energy, and water. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press, pp.28-44
I’ve always felt the urge to see my scientific research come out of the computer screen to land on a practical everyday situation. It is often much easier said than done however. As scientists we like to think our research is going to be used by someone one day, but the truth is that most of the time we prefer the comfort of the “ivory tower”. We may feel a sense of relief when, in project proposals, we include the odd sentence about the critical role of our research for society, often added in an attempt to get our proposal across the line.
Oceanography, seasonal climate forecasts and more generally climate research has been a satisfying endeavor for me for many a year but the baby steps in this area of research, despite the size of the effort, had become less and less fulfilling. What a better time then to use weather and climate (collectively referred to as meteorology) observations and forecasts to directly assist society! And what better time to simultaneously assist society in the once-in-a-few-generation overhaul of the energy system! To contribute to the sustainability, resilience and efficiency of energy systems under ever changing weather and climate appeared (and it still does!) like a thrilling goal!
The opportunity arose when in 2005, following the first public dissemination of the winter 2005-06 seasonal climate forecast for Northern Europe by the UK Met Office, the UK energy market appeared to have reacted to the forecast. As we later learnt, towards the end of 2005 the UK was turning from a net exporter of gas to a net importer and that clearly put pressure on gas prices, not so much the climate! Anyhow, this combination of events – issuing of seasonal forecast and spikes in oil prices – were sufficient to attract the attention of a number of scientists and energy practitioners. A public meeting to assess the accuracy of the seasonal forecast and the impact it had on energy market was thus in order: with a colleague we organized such a meeting in London under the auspices of The Royal Meteorological Society (see meeting report: Forecasting UK and European Winters).
The aspiration to more effectively link the energy sector and the weather & climate community had been liberated! The ensuing NATO workshop in 2008 “Weather/Climate Risk Management for the Energy Sector” paved the way to a more formal framework between Energy & Meteorology, and drew a set of recommendations, that, in hindsight, have guided much of activities to come. By the time the recommendations had been written we were becoming increasingly aware that weather and climate information was critical to a very wide range of energy industry activities, and not only with respect to renewable energy generation. From the managing of oil and gas energy supply, to the understanding and estimation of energy demand, to the assessment of meteorological impacts on extraction, transportation, transmission and distribution, meteorological information was demonstrably a key input to energy sector decision-making.
A leap of faith was what it took me to set up the inaugural International Conference Energy & Meteorology (ICEM) in Australia in 2011. Its success in creating a premium international platform with excellent networking opportunities as well as a source of the state-of-the-art in the science, policy, planning and operations in Energy & Meteorology seemingly led to the second ICEM in France in 2013. Almost like a snowball effect, we are now well through the organization of ICEM 2015 which will take place in beautiful Boulder, Colorado in the USA, from 23 to the 26 June 2015.
I strive to instill in each ICEM a strong sense of excitement and novelty, clearly aside from the robust technical content, so that each delegate can enjoy a unique experience. Thus, for ICEM 2015 I am overseeing a number of engaging activities: a fun and didactic competition with which you’ll learn about how cloud movements affect solar radiation on the ground; the launch of a forward-looking international network for the exchange of information between the energy industry and the weather & climate community; the adoption of some of the social media technology during the conference so that you will feel the urge to tweet other delegates about the exciting research and events as they are happening!
I invite you to join the zealous ICEM organizing committee and myself to the ICEM 2015 so that together we can continue to make a difference in the Energy & Meteorology World!
The ICEM 2015 call for abstracts is imminent and closes on Monday 19 January 2015. We have also created a LinkedIn group to facilitate the discussions in Energy & Meteorology.
Alberto Troccoli