Auckland's Southern Motorway, as it appeared, free of traffic, on the first day of New Zealand's level 4 lockdown last year. Photo / Brett PhibbsScientists have revealed the complete picture of how last year's lockdown temporarily cut pollution – but not to the air-clearing levels perhaps expected. Nonetheless, it offered scientists a fascinating opportunity to see a New Zealand with the veils of everyday air pollution pulled back. "We then compared the pollution levels that were observed during alert levels to estimates of what pollution levels would have been during a 'normal' year." The lockdown offered scientists a fascinating opportunity to see a New Zealand with the veils of everyday air pollution pulled back.

Source: New Zealand Herald June 08, 2021 22:41 UTC