A take-home message from COVID-19 on urban air pollution reduction through mobility limitations and teleworking

The rigorous traffic limitations during COVID-19 have forced many people to work from home, reaching an outstanding degree of teleworking and reduction in air pollution. This exceptional situation can be examined as a large-scale pilot test to determine the potential of improving urban air quality through teleworking. Based on observed traffic reductions during the COVID-19 lockdown in Barcelona, we formulate socio-occupational scenarios, with various configurations of teleworking, and simulate them using the chemistry transport model WRF-Chem with multi-layer urban scheme. By intensifying teleworking to 2, 3, and 4 days a week, averaged NO 2 concentrations are reduced by 4% (−1.5 μg m −3 ), 8% (−3 μg m −3 ), and 10% (−6 μg m −3 ), respectively, while O 3 increases moderately (up to 3 μg m −3 ). We propose that teleworking be prioritized and promoted as an effective contribution towards reduction of long-term urban air pollution and short-term pollution peaks.