Page 59 - GHES-3-1

Global Health Economics and
Sustainability
COVID-19 changed our world

(i.e., around 2 months) was approximately 21% compared bodies, air quality, and forests; however, negative effects
to 13% in countries imposing shorter lockdowns (i.e., were also observed because of the presence of aerosols,
around 15 days). Therefore, containment strategies based nitrogen dioxide (NO ), and ozone (O ). The Central
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on prolonged societal lockdowns systematically weakened Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in India reported a
the economic systems of nations (Coccia, 2021; Makridis slight improvement in the quality of river water across the
& Hartley, 2020). The non-interventionist herd immunity country during the lockdown. Major pollution sources
approach of the United States was also shown to impose such as industrial activities were temporarily stopped
high costs (Chen et al. 2021). or considerably reduced. Hence, the quality of varied
The GDP of several of the world’s most important indigenous water supplies was expected to improve because
economic regions fell, including the Americas, Europe, of the reduced discharge of contaminants (Sivakumar
Northeast Asia, the Western Pacific, and the Arctic. It et al., 2020). The organic pollution levels in surface
was initially predicted that the GDP loss resulting from waters decreased during the lockdown period and oxygen
untreated COVID-19 could equate to a total of US$1.4 saturation levels increased. However, fecal contamination
trillion by 2030 assuming that 60% of the population levels remained unchanged (MoS and MoEFCC), largely
would become infected in 3 years. This figure would because of consistent human waste production, which
amount to a tax of 0.6% of the GDP in 2019 (in 2010 US is closely linked to population density. Several studies
dollar terms) or around 7.7% of the GDP in 2019 (Verma reported improvements in the surface waters of rivers,
et al., 2021). According to the findings of Martinho et al. lakes, and groundwater (Patel et al., 2020; Lokhandwala
(Martinho et al., 2021), the convergence indicators of the & Gautam, 2020; Yunus et al., 2020; Selvam et al., 2020;
OECD countries from the end of 2017 to the end of 2019 Bhattacharya et al., 2021).
were obliterated by the pandemic, particularly in the first Restrictions imposed on motorboat traffic during Italy’s
two quarters of 2020. lockdown resulted in a significant improvement in water
After the initial decline in the GDP of different nations, purity: for instance, the clear waters in Venice revealed
researchers attempted to ascertain risk-related variables seaweed and other aquatic life (Mack, 2020). The deserted
based on the published data. Scholars determined beaches in Florida offered turtles a safe haven where they
some risk predictors of a country’s susceptibility to the could lay their eggs (CNN, 2020). Similarly, the absence
COVID-19 shock as poor GDP dynamics and strong of crowds in the Dubai Marina allowed rare sightings of
sensitivity of bond yields to VIX in the period before the Eagle rays near the docks (CNN, 2020). The decreased
pandemic (Janus, 2021; Iluno et al. 2021), GDP per capita, industrial effluent discharge into Venice’s canals resulted
population density, income inequality (Feng et al. 2022), in cleaner waters, attracting schools of fish and swans, and
and discretionary measures adopted by governments creating an unusually calm and quiet urban environment
(Kaufmann, 2020). These variables were thought to (Mack, 2020). In India, the Ganges Dolphin was spotted
instigate the overall decline in the GDPs of nations in Kolkata after nearly three decades. This remarkable
(Havrlant et al. 2021; Azomahou et al. 2021; Kaufmann, occurrence was reported by The Times of India on April 25,
2020; Verma et al. 2021; Chen et al. 2021). Researchers 2020, and was attributed to the decreased pollution during
also proposed high-potential recovery plans based on oil the lockdown (CPCB, 26 May 2020). Thus, the lockdown
price estimates and empirical findings. Social safety net in India apparently yielded the unintended consequence
policy, economic transformation, innovation, technology of significantly initiating the cleaning of the Ganges River,
revolution, fiscal restraint, and climate-friendly stability India’s most sacred yet heavily polluted water source
were deemed the most likely means of mitigating the (Times of India, 2020). The average suspended particulate
amount of damage (Azomahou et al. 2021; Chudik et al., matter (PM) content of Vembanad Lake also decreased by
2021; Khurshid & Khan, 2021; Auerbach et al., 2021). 15.9%, reflecting better water quality than the previous
year (Yunus et al., 2020). New York’s air pollution levels
4.7. COVID-19 on the environment decreased by about 50% because of pandemic-related
measures (Henriques, 2020). Overall, the COVID-19
The global environment has deteriorated significantly;
the pollutant levels and Air Quality Indices of many lockdowns contributed to a healthier aquatic environment
regions have exceeded permissible limits. However, the and enhanced biodiversity across the globe.
measures taken to curb the spread of the coronavirus and Researchers observed significant reductions in
the resulting slowdown in economic activities during the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions during the initial
pandemic exerted a notable impact on the environment. COVID-19 lockdowns because of the widespread closure
Restricted human activities positively affected water of industries, transportation, and businesses. Data

Volume 3 Issue 1 (2025) 51 https://doi.org/10.36922/ghes.3992