COVID 19: Thinking about its impacts on air quality and climate change

Abstract

The atmosphere is one of the elements of the natural environment most impacted by the human being and that generates direct reflections on the quality of life of the planet, either by the air quality, or by the climatic changes. Thus, this article analyzes the importance of the atmospheric environment as an essential element to life and the impacts on the air cause by the SARS-CoV-2, virus that started the current COVID-19 pandemic. The present study presents the causes and effects of climate changes and air pollution, suggesting how the COVID-19 pandemic has been positively and negatively related to these environmental problems. The method adopted is the hypothetical-deductive, with qualitative research approach based on articles, analysis of documents and official data dissemination sites. As the theoretical framework, the Taylor’s theory (1981) is embraced as it presents the need to create moral principles for the relationship among human beings and the natural environment. It concludes that it is necessary to re-discuss the relationship among human beings and the natural world, and to rethink social and moral principles based on environmental principles, so that future epidemics can be avoided, and climate effects reduced.