On 5 November, the European Environment Agency published a briefing focused on the short-term effects of COVID-19 on the environment, approximately six months after large parts of the world went into some degree of lockdown.

The agency identified that the COVID-19 pandemic further highlighted the interrelations between the natural and societal systems: societal resilience depends on a resilient environmental support system; biodiversity loss and intensive food systems make zoonotic diseases more likely; environmental factors such as air quality appear to influence COVID-19 outcomes; increased reliance on single-use plastics and low oil prices resulting from lockdowns have negative consequences;  and lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic may have some direct, short-term, positive impacts on the environment, especially in terms of emissions and air quality, although these are likely to be temporary.

The briefing is part of a forthcoming report to be published in 2021.

More information.