Abstract
According to the World Health Organization, nine out of ten people worldwide breath contaminated air, which kills an estimate of 7 million people worldwide per year. Air pollution is excessive in cities, due to dense concentration of population, and high intensity of sectorial activities, such as transportation, housing, energy, construction, industries, waste management, etc. As a result, over 80% of the urban population, in the cities monitoring air quality, are exposed to air pollution levels above WHO limits. Most air pollution comes from energy production and use, warming up the earth through greenhouse gases and changing climate through anthropogenic factors. The pollutants’ effects exacerbate due to smog formation, the urban heat effect, lower oxygen levels in urban areas, and increased mold and pollen. In early 2020, the world was faced with a coronavirus pandemic unlike any in the last almost 100 years, which imposed a crisis over the global socio-economic systems, and people’s life, wellbeing and sense of security. According to the Geneva environment network, a research conducted in march 2020, found that air pollution intensified the pandemic’s effects. On the other hand, the extreme lockdown imposed on citizens and economy, led to a decrease in activities, and thus a reduction of air pollutants’ levels. This COVID-19 pandemic is not the exclusive factor in the urban air quality discourse. Yet, its occurrence and uncertain evolution set a new commencement for city planning, due to expected effects on distribution of functions, sprawl, city form, public space, mobility, and on the social imaginary, hence, on air quality as well. Such changes, reflect a need for strong measures and better planning for resilient cities, considering air pollution as a factor that increases disaster exposure and risks.
