Global Aerial Habitat Conservation Post-COVID-19 Anthropause

Abstract

Aerial habitat is increasingly threatened. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) anthropause shows that a decrease in human mobility and goods production for even a short period reduces the global anthropogenic impact on airspace fragmentation and pollution. Economic and environmental post-COVID-19 agendas should consider the changes observed in the aerial habitat during the anthropause.

Figure 1

Positive Changes Observed on Aerial Habitat during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Anthropause. Positive changes of the reduction in aerial trafficix, artificial light at nightx, and CO₂ emissionsxi could be long-lasting (i.e., sustainable development). They may favor reaching multilateral environmental agreements goals (e.g., Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, Paris Climate Agreement, and Sustainable Development Goals) if post-COVID-19 economic recovery measures are designed under a ‘build back better’ (green path and rectangle) economic scenario instead of ‘business as usual’ (red path and rectangle).