How to keep cities pollution-free after virus lockdowns lift

This op-ed was first published in English by EurActiv, in Spanish by El Pais, in Portugese by Publico and in French by Le Soir and La Tribune.As authorities across Europe are preparing for a stepwise lift of the lockdown imposed in response to the pandemic, they’re facing a make-or-break moment for urban mobility. The decisions taken in the coming weeks will define how healthy, resilient and liveable our cities will be in the future. Without decisive action, the recent drop in air pollution would sadly remain a breeze of clean air, soon replaced by a rapid return of toxic fumes as already observed in China, with people switching to private cars and avoiding public transport. This risk is particularly worrying given the growing evidence indicating that air pollution probably makes us more vulnerable to the effects of the coronavirus.