Fossil fuel price surges can lead to worse air quality, study finds

New research shows that the unreliability of fossil fuel supply chains and consequential price surges can lead to deterioration in air quality as people change their consumption behaviour. The conflict in Ukraine has had well-documented impacts on the immediate environment. Fires from destroyed buildings and industry, movement of military vehicles and extensive wildfires have added to air pollution . The war also disrupted energy supplies and increased fossil gas prices in Europe, spreading the impacts far beyond the conflict zone. Dr Giancarlo Ciarelli , of the University of Helsinki, said the research team asked: “Did householders respond by replacing part of their gas consumption with wood burning and, if so, what were consequences for air quality and public health?” Ciarelli and the team focused on northern Italy, where wood combustion is a major source of particulate pollution. “Even a small shift in heating behaviour could have measurable environmental impacts,” he said. Researchers looked for changes in the amount of benzo[a]pyrene, a chemical found in wood smoke, in the air. Prof Federico Bianchi , also of the University of Helsinki, said: “In areas of northern Italy, residential wood combustion is one of the main sources of benzo[a]pyrene. It is typically attached to tiny particles suspended in the air that we can breathe into our lungs. …