War Impact on Air Quality in Ukraine

In the light of the 21st century, after two devastating world wars, humanity still has not learned to solve their conflicts through peaceful negotiations and dialogue. Armed conflicts, both international and within a single state, still cause devastation, displacement, and death all over the world. Not to mention the consequences that war has on the environment. Due to a lack of published research about war impact on modern air quality, this work studies air pollution evolution during the first months of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. Satellite images of NO₂, CO, O₃, SO₂, and PM_2.5 over Ukrainian territory and PM_2.5 land monitoring data for Kyiv were analyzed. The results showed that NO₂ and PM_2.5 correlated the most with war activities. CO and O3 levels increased, while SO₂ concentrations reduced four-fold as war intensified. Drastic increases in pollution (especially PM_2.5) from bombing and structural fires, raise additional health concerns, which might have serious implications for the exposed local and regional populations. This study is an invaluable proof of the impact any armed conflict has on air quality, the population, and environment.