Impact of COVID-19 on the social, economic, environmental and energy domains: Lessons learnt from a global pandemic

Abstract

COVID-19 has heightened human suffering, undermined the economy, turned the lives of billions of people around the globe upside down, and significantly affected the health, economic, environmental and social domains. This study aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on the ecological domain, the energy sector, society and the economy and investigate the global preventive measures taken to reduce the transmission of COVID-19. This analysis unpacks the key responses to COVID-19, the efficacy of current initiatives, and summarises the lessons learnt as an update on the information available to authorities, business and industry. This review found that a 72-hour delay in the collection and disposal of waste from infected households and quarantine facilities is crucial to controlling the spread of the virus. Broad sector by sector plans for socio-economic growth as well as a robust entrepreneurship-friendly economy is needed for the business to be sustainable at the peak of the pandemic. The socio-economic crisis has reshaped investment in energy and affected the energy sector significantly with most investment activity facing disruption due to mobility restrictions. Delays in energy projects are expected to create uncertainty in the years ahead. This report will benefit governments, leaders, energy firms and customers in addressing a pandemic-like situation in the future.

Keywords: Coronavirus vaccine; Environmental pollution; Global Pandemic; NO2 emission; PM emission; SARS-CoV-2; Waste generation.

Fig. 1

The initial stage development timeline for COVID-19 (Yan et al., 2020).

Fig. 2

Infections and replication cycle of the coronavirus (Acter et al., 2020).

Fig. 3

Initial preventive measures to lower the COVID-19 outbreak (Bruinen de Bruin et al., 2020).

Fig. 4

Global transport and aviation activity in the first quarter of the year 2020 (International Energy Agency (IEA), 2020).

Fig. 5

The lifespan of SARS-CoV-2 on different media (Chin et al., 2020; van Doremalen et al.; 2020; Ye et al., 2016)

Fig. 6

Recommended waste management during COVID-19 (ACR+ 2020).

Fig. 7

Comparison of the NO₂ concentration between 2019 and 2020 in Europe (European Space Agency (ESA), 2020).

Fig. 8

Changes in average NO₂ emission in different countries (Myllyvirta, 2020).

Fig. 9

Changes of NO₂ emission (a) over entire Italy (b) capital city (c) other cities (European Space Agency (ESA), 2020; Atmosphere Monitoring Service, 2020).

Fig. 9

Changes of NO₂ emission (a) over entire Italy (b) capital city (c) other cities (European Space Agency (ESA), 2020; Atmosphere Monitoring Service, 2020).

Fig. 10

Comparison between before and after lockdown NO₂ emissions in Spain (European Space Agency (ESA), 2020).

Fig. 11

Comparison of NO₂ emissions in France before and after lockdown (European Space Agency (ESA), 2020).

Fig. 12

(a) Changes in NO₂ emissions in the UK during lockdown (European Space Agency (ESA), 2020); (b) comparison of NO₂ emissions in 2019 and 2020 (Khoo, 2020).

Fig. 13

Reduction of PM emission in different countries (Myllyvirta, 2020).

Fig. 14

Comparison of PM emission in Italy (a) PM_2.5 emission (b) Changes of PM_2.5 emission (c) PM₁₀ emission (d) Changes of PM₁₀ emission (Sicard et al., 2020).

Fig. 15

(a) Quarterly World GDP. 2019:Q1 =100, dashed line indicates estimates from January 2020 WEO; (b) GDP fall due to lockdown in selected countries.