How human mega-events influence urban airborne PM2.5 pollution: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Air pollution caused by PM₂.₅ particles is a critical issue for public health that adversely affects people living in urban cities. Short-term Mega-events such as international meetings, sports tournaments, and traditional festivals can profoundly influence the local air quality. However, the extent of these influences and their role in improving or deteriorating the local air quality is still unclear. By collecting relative research from 75 publications based on more than 37 cities worldwide, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis. We calculated the log response ratio (RR) of the treatment (during) and control periods (before and after) of the Mega-events. The short-term policy control measures enacted during the Mega-Events consisting of meetings caused a significant decline (by −44.06%) in the ambient PM₂.₅ concentration. The mean daily PM₂.₅ concentration reduced from more than 100.00 μg/m³ before the events to 60.39 μg/m³, which is below the WHO (World Health Organization) interim target – 1 (75 μg/m³). On the contrary, setting off fireworks during the festival increased the ambient PM₂.₅ concentrations by 89.57% on average, with a mean daily value of 254.22 μg/m³. The variations in the effects of all event types on the air quality were primarily influenced by the background PM₂.₅ concentrations, with a negative correlation throughout. Moreover, the impact of events with policy control measures was also influenced by the year of the event, level of control, and location (suburban/urban) of the monitoring sites. Our findings provide evidence of the potential of human intervention on PM₂.₅ pollution reduction. We further highlight the crucial role of background pollution level in implementing policies during the Mega-events, which can benefit the environmental governance of developing countries.