Climate Adaptation

Clean Lockdown Air Saves Lives, Especially in L.A., Study Finds

Vehicles drive in light traffic along the 405 freeway, through the Sepulveda Pass, in Los Angeles on May 1.Photographer: Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg
Lock
This article is for subscribers only.

America’s air is cleaner as a result of the Covid-19 lockdown, and that’s likely to reduce the number of premature deaths caused by pollution, according to a new study.

The number of such deaths is set to drop by about 360 per month while current conditions persist, according to a National Bureau of Economic Research working paper. That’s a consequence of lower carbon emissions as Americans shift to working from home and adjust their shopping habits -- leading to less travel and power-consumption.