China’s Factories Are Slowly Waking Up
The bad news: Pollution levels are increasing. The good news: That means economic activity is, too.
This article is for subscribers only.
Levels of nitrogen dioxide being released into the atmosphere have become a useful marker for the fall and rise of industrial, business and civic activities as countries across the globe impose and relax lockdowns due to the spread of Covid-19.
Although it may seem perverse to seek solace in the increase of any pollutant — especially one that causes respiratory damage in the midst of a pandemic known for causing severe acute respiratory distress — the gradual increase in NO2 levels across China indicates a glimmer of hope for economic recovery, once the medical crisis is over.