Lockdown Measures and Air Quality: Evidence from Italian Provinces

by Marco Percoco and Maurizio Malpede 
 

The aim of this short communication is to estimate the effects of the implementation of more restrictive lockdown measures on pollution levels in Italy. Using a time series of weekly concentrations of PM 10, PM 2.5 and NO 2 for the period 2016–2020 across 71 provinces, we find that the introduction of lockdown measures reduced the air concentration levels of PM 10 and NO 2 by 17–18%, while their effect on PM 2.5 remains unclear. These results indicate that the lockdown yielded a double dividend in terms of lives saved and improved air quality. 

The Paper: "Lockdown Measures and Air Quality: Evidence from Italian Provinces"