Ilyenkov’s Dialectics of the Ideal and Engels’ Dialectics of Nature. On Ilyenkov’s supposed affinity with Western Marxism

Rogney Piedra

2021, Historical Materialism

30 Pages

With  the current interest resurgence in E.V. Ilyenkov, the influence of Engels on him is being either overlooked or denied, picturing Ilyenkov closer to Western Marxism. In this paper, by considering Engels’ inalienable role in Ilyenkov’s philosophy, I show that his approach is fundamentally hostile to Western Marxism’s main views. Ilyenkov, who as Engels conceives philosophy as Logic, applies the principle of the ‘alliance’ relationship between philosophy and natural sciences against speculative metaphysics. He develops his original cosmological hypothesis based on Engels’ insights on the hierarchy of matter’s forms of movement. According to which, the ideal is an attribute of nature that reproduces its concrete universality through social labour, the active transformation of nature’s phenomena into objects stamped with the seal of our subjectivity. While Western Marxism’s dialectics only criticized ‘the existent’ without offering any positive way-out, Ilyenkov’s dialectics was a tool for constructing ‘the ought’, the real-ideal communist society.

https://www.academia.edu/48982697/Ilyenkov_s_Dialectics_of_the_Ideal_and_Engels_Dialectics_of_Nature_On_Ilyenkov_s_supposed_affinity_with_Western_Marxism

From the History of Soviet Philosophy: Lukacs-Vygotsky-Ilyenkov (2011)

Alex Levant

2011, Historical Materialism

14 Pages

1 File ▾

Georg Lukacs,

Vygotsky,

Soviet Philosophy,

Evald Ilyenkov

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"This review-essay explores the subterranean tradition of ‘creative Soviet Marxism’1 through a recent book by the Russian philosopher Sergey Mareev, From the History of Soviet Philosophy: Lukács – Vygotsky – Ilyenkov (2008). It provides a brief overview of the history of Soviet philosophy so as to orient the reader to a set of debates that continue to be largely unexplored in the Western-Marxist tradition. Mareev offers a new account of the development of Soviet philosophy that not only explodes the myth that Soviet philosophy was simply state-sanctioned dogma, but also reinterprets the relationship between the key creative theorists so as to offer a new way of understanding its development that challenges several key-aspects of the dominant Western scholarship on this subject. He argues that alongside official Marxist philosophy in the Soviet Union – the crude materialism of Diamat and Istmat – there existed another line, which counterposed the central rôle of social activity in the development of human consciousness. He traces this line of anti-positivist theory from V.I. Lenin through Georg Lukács and Lev Vygotsky to Evald Ilyenkov – a pivotal figure in the ‘Marxian renaissance’2 of the 1960s, but who ‘has to this day remained a Soviet phenomenon without much international influence’.3 Specifically, Mareev disputes the rôle of A.M. Deborin as a precursor of the Ilyenkov school, and instead introduces Georg Lukács – a figure primarily recognised in the West as one of the founders of Western Marxism – into the line of development of creative Soviet Marxism. Furthermore, he reconsiders the rôle of V.I. Lenin and G.V. Plekhanov – the so-called father of Russian social democracy – in the development of Soviet philosophy. In the process, the author provides a detailed history of the emergence of Diamat and Istmat, and shines a spotlight on a figure widely recognised as the most important Soviet philosopher in the post-Stalin period – E.V. Ilyenkov."

https://www.academia.edu/1454708/From_the_History_of_Soviet_Philosophy_Lukacs_Vygotsky_Ilyenkov_2011_

E.V. Ilyenkov and Creative Soviet Theory: An Introduction to Dialectics of the Ideal (2012)

Alex Levant

2012, Historical Materialism

2,498 Views24 Pages

1 File ▾

Western Marxism,

Soviet Philosophy,

Evald Ilyenkov

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"This article aims to introduce E.V. Ilyenkov’s ‘Dialectics of the Ideal’, first published in unabridged form in 2009, to an English-speaking readership. It does this in three ways: First, it contextualises his intervention in the history of Soviet and post-Soviet philosophy, offering a window into the subterranean tradition of creative theory that existed on the margins and in opposition to official Diamat. It explains what distinguishes Ilyenkov’s philosophy from the crude materialism of Diamat, and examines his relationship to four central figures from the pre-Diamat period: Deborin, Lukács, Vygotsky, and Lenin. Second, it situates his concept of the ideal in relation to the history of Western philosophy, noting Ilyenkov’s original reading of Marx through both Hegel and Spinoza, his criticism of Western theorists who identify the ideal with language, and his effort to articulate an anti-dualist conception of subjectivity. Third, it examines Ilyenkov’s reception in the West, previous efforts to publish his work in the West, including the so-called ‘Italian Affair’, as well as existing scholarship on Ilyenkov in English."

https://www.academia.edu/1899665/E_V_Ilyenkov_and_Creative_Soviet_Theory_An_Introduction_to_Dialectics_of_the_Ideal_2012_

Garment workers shot demanding extended Eid holidays

14 May, 2021

On 10 May, around 20 garment workers at the Ha-meem group, supplying garments for among others H&M, Gap and Zara, suffered injuries from rubber bullets during a demonstration demanding an extension of Eid holidays, from three to at least the usual ten days.

Extended holidays for garment workers have been a tradition in Bangladesh and workers spend the festival time with family and friends. The government had announced three days for Eid holidays this year, but IndustriALL Bangladesh Council, which brings together affiliates in the country, reached an agreement with the factory owners’ association BGMEA to jointly call on employers to announce a minimum of five to ten days.

When the Ha-meem group of factories announced just three days of holidays, a spontaneous protest at the Creative Collection factory in the Gazipur district erupted.

A large number of police met the protestors with tear gas and rubber bullets. At least 22 workers were injured by the pellets, some suffering over 50 projectile injuries.
Only after the violent response to the workers, did the company extend the Eid holidays.

Saluddin Shapon, Acting President of IndustriALL Bangladesh Council (IBC) says:

“We strongly condemn the police shooting protesting workers. This issue should have been resolved through social dialogue with the workers. A trade union in the factory could have maintained the industrial peace and found a solution through discussions.”

Since the recently imposed lockdown measures in Bangladesh, workers have been facing major problems. Garment factories are allowed to stay open during the lockdown and workers risk Covid infections at the workplace and in transit from their homes to work. In the absence of the public transport, workers are spending a higher portion of their income on transportation and left with meagre wages for household expenses.

“We are shocked to see such violent and strong-arm tactics used by the police against workers. The violent response goes against internationally established standards of human rights and workers’ rights. Respecting workers’ rights to freedom of association and collective bargaining at the Hameem group of factories and in Bangladesh will go a long way in avoiding repetition of such incidents in future,”

says Apoorva Kaiwar, IndustriALL South Asia regional secretary

CHINESE OUTSOURCING

Union fights sexual harassment at Hippo Knitting garment factory, Lesotho

16 May, 2021After reports that workers at Taiwanese-owned Hippo Knitting are subjected to sexual harassment and violence in the workplace, IndustriALL Global Union affiliate, the Independent Democratic Union of Lesotho (IDUL), are fighting back against the rampant violations.

Taiwanese-owned Hippo Knitting in Maseru, Lesotho, supplies workout wear to Fabletics, a brand co-founded by actor Kate Hudson.

Three women workers and members of IDUL, confirm that sexual harassment and verbal abuse is common at the factory, taking many forms, including being asked to undress during searching. Verbal abuse including comments on the women’s bodies and other derogatory remarks are a daily occurrence.

The management also snoops into the women’s private lives including their relationships and uses the information when deciding who should report for duty during the weekend for overtime work.

Mathabiso Moshabe, a shop steward at the factory says:

“The company asks women workers to undress during searches when they knock off work and justifies this by saying they suspect that the workers are stealing from the factory. But we are refusing the body searches which are humiliating, disrespectful and against our dignity.

“One of the human resources managers teases workers that since they undress for others to take photos; why not undress for body searches. The manager also makes fun of their bodies, mocks how they dress, and the shoes they wear.”

Of the 1,000 workers at Hippo Knitting, 538 are IDUL members of whom 479 are women. With more than 50 per cent members at the factory, the union is preparing to sign a recognition agreement with the factory as per labour laws as more members continue to join.  

Workers meeting at Hippo Knitting, Maseru

However, Hippo Knitting has cancelled the stop order agreement for union dues following recent action by workers demanding the gazetting of new wages by the government.

Mamahlomola Ntikoane, IDUL treasurer and a shop steward at Hippo Knitting says:

“A woman was sexually harassed by a supervisor, but the human resources department did not act. Instead, the perpetrator was transferred to another factory. The managers are also involved in sexual harassment. One female manager followed a worker into the toilet and attempted to grab his genitals.”

Hippo Knitting is not the first factory where IDUL is fighting sexual harassment. At Nien Hsing, IDUL together with other unions and international partners, campaigned for an agreement to be reached to end sexual harassment at the factory.

Christina Hajagos-Clausen, IndustriALL textile director says:

“We condemn sexual and gender-based violence at Hippo Knitting which is a violation of human and trade union rights and the dignity of the women workers. We support IDUL in its campaign to end the abuses in Lesotho’s garment factories.”

Lesotho’s garment sector employs over 40,000 workers, 70 per cent of whom are women. 

The factory supplies the garments under the African Growth and Opportunity Act which allows duty free exports from Lesotho to the US.

Photo credit: Lesotho garment factory, Enhanced Integrated Framework, Flickr

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REPORT: Why telework needs institutional regulation and collective bargaining


17 May, 2021

IndustriALL launches consultation on guidelines for negotiating telework

FEATURE

From Global Worker No. 1 May 2021


Text: Armelle Seby

Theme: guidelines for negotiating telework

Telework has expanded massively during the pandemic and is here to stay. For some workers it has been a positive experience but working remotely over a long period has also revealed limitations and risks. Trade unions have to react quickly to make sure that workers can benefit from teleworking while avoiding potential pitfalls.

Telework did not start with Covid-19 lockdowns: it is a consequence of the development of new technologies and digital tools. According to the OECD, in 2015, 25 per cent of workers in the manufacturing industry worked remotely at least some of the time.

However, the use of telework exploded globally during the pandemic. According to figures from the European Union, whereas as of 2019, only 5.4 per cent of workers in the EU usually worked from home, close to 40 per cent of EU workers began to telework fulltime as a result of the pandemic.

This has major implications for how work is organized in the future. Research shows that both employers and workers would like to continue teleworking on a regular basis once the health crisis is over. According to a survey of the World Economic Forum (WEF), more than 80 per cent of employers plan to make greater use of telework and to digitize work processes.

This development may be uneven in the different regions of the world, as, according to the World Economic Forum (WEF), the share of jobs that can be performed remotely has been estimated at 38 per cent of jobs in high-income countries, compared to 13 per cent in low-income economies.

With appropriate regulation and negotiation with trade unions, Telework may have many advantages for workers, including greater autonomy and flexibility. The time saved by not commuting can be devoted to leisure and personal life, hence a better quality of life and greater job satisfaction.

However, telework is not always good for workers. Workers should be able to choose to work remotely or not. Telework should be voluntary, and workers should be able to change the arrangement.

Several elements of remote work are challenging for workers' and trade union rights. When negotiating agreements on telework, unions need to define baselines for protecting these rights.

National labour laws were largely designed for work performed in a workplace under the direct control of the employer. This also applies to occupational health and safety regulations. However, with remote work, work is performed in a place over which the employer has no direct control.
How do we make sure that employers fulfil their duty of care?
How can we ensure that employers meet responsibilities, like guaranteeing health and safety in the workplace?



The pandemic has confirmed that the prolonged and ad hoc use of telework generates risks for workers’ health and safety. Workers report aches and pains due to poor ergonomics, and feelings of isolation due to reduced contact with colleagues. Employers’ obligations to protect the health and safety of their employees and guarantee workplaces free from violence and harassment remain, even during remote work.

Solutions to overcoming employers’ lack of control of the working environment, and to address the health and safety risks of telework, should be negotiated with the respective trade union.

Working from home blurs the line between professional and private life. It is more difficult for workers to limit their work to statutory hours and to disconnect when not working. Legislation on working hours and overtime should apply to teleworking. Teleworking should also be an opportunity to promote the right to disconnect - not only for remote workers, but for all workers. In addition, the use of digital surveillance tools such as webcams or intrusive software threatens workers’ right to privacy. This is especially true when working from home. Abusive use of surveillance tools must be prevented by all means. Telework requires a management style based on mutual trust and autonomy, and not on the intrusive control of work.

Teleworking also raises issues of equality. Not all workers are equally able to access teleworking. Not all workers have suitable space at home for teleworking. Solutions, including the use of a co-working centres or hubs, should be negotiated so that workers with small and busy houses, or with precarious living conditions, are not penalized.

Not all jobs can be done remotely.

How do we ensure that workers whose work requires a presence at production sites are not disadvantaged, and vice versa?

How do we avoid creating a division in the workforce between office workers and those working in production?

To broaden access to telework, employers and trade unions should identify which tasks can be performed remotely. A worker who is required to be physically present at the workplace for some tasks should have the option of telework for tasks that can be performed remotely.

Furthermore, employers should guarantee equal treatment for all workers. Remote workers risk being less visible. Employers need to provide the same opportunities for training and career development to remote workers.

In terms of gender equality, teleworking should not be seen as a solution to the unequal division of domestic unpaid work by allowing women to reconcile professional life and domestic work. Teleworking should promote co-responsibility, leaving more time for all workers to reconcile family and professional life. Telework should not be an excuse to fail to implement equality policies, as well as the development of good quality public childcare.

Telework also presents challenges to the central role of the workplace in the organization and development of trade unions. Our current model of trade unionism arose by organizing workers at the workplace, and through taking a collective approach to work and the relationship between workers and their representatives. Teleworking risks increasing the individualization of work, isolating workers at home. Unions should guarantee a minimum compulsory physical presence by workers in the workplace to maintain social bonds with colleagues and workers' representatives. Employers must also ensure that unions have secure access to company communication tools to maintain regular communication with workers.

Trade unions should act quickly and work towards regulating telework through social dialogue and collective bargaining, particularly since employers have realized the potential benefits of telework by saving real estate costs and seeing the productivity gains of workers working longer hours. Teleworking could also become an excuse for increased outsourcing and a digital offshoring of work.

Teleworkers must not carry the burden of any extra costs related to home working. Employers should provide workers with all suitable space and equipment - technical and furniture - necessary for them to perform their contractual duties. All costs incurred by the workers while teleworking, including internet, insurance, heating, electricity, rent of workspace or mobile phone service, should be covered, reimbursed or compensated through allowances by the employers.. The savings and gains associated with this growing form of work organization must be shared with workers.


Collective bargaining and institutional regulation can make it possible for workers to benefit from a greater flexibility in organizing their work while ensuring an optimal level of protection and the respect of their rights.

IndustriALL assistant general secretary Atle Høie says that telework can be an opportunity, but also a curse.

“Spending the time of your daily commute with family is an appealing thought, and the flexibility that comes with it is inspirational. But the positive sides may wear off if you are not adequately ergonomically equipped, when you realize that you are bearing the brunt of the costs of the arrangement and when you start missing your colleagues. For those reasons, it is important to regulate telework through collective agreements and legislation.”

IndustriALL Global Union has developed key principles, as well as practical guidelines for social dialogue and collective bargaining on telework. This material intends to give trade unions the means to ensure that telework benefits workers. They also set the base that will guarantee that remote work becomes a right for workers, and not a privilege that can be granted arbitrarily to some categories of workers, in return for which the worker would give up some of these rights.

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Cihan Erdal, a member of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), has been unjustly jailed in Turkey since September 2020. CUPE is pressing the Canadian government to support Cihan as he prepares for trial, and to work to get him released from jail and safely home to Canada.  The next few weeks are critical.  CUPE National President Mark Hancock and National Secretary-Treasurer Charles Fleury have sent a letter to Canadian foreign affairs minister Marc Garneau with three specific demands for action and reiterating CUPE’s call last fall for Canada to work on Cihan’s behalf. You can help by reminding the Ankara Prosecutor, Turkish Minister of Justice and the President of Turkey of their country's human rights obligations and encourage them to release Cihan and to allow him to return home. To learn more and to show your support, please click here. Please share this message with your friends, family and fellow union members.

CDC: Masks, improved ventilation reduce COVID-19 spread in schools



With masking and improved ventilation, students can safely return to school with reduced risk for COVID-19 spread, according to new CDC research published Friday. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo

May 21 (UPI) -- Requiring teachers and staff to wear masks in Georgia elementary schools last fall reduced the number of COVID-19 cases in classrooms by nearly 40%, according to data released Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Similarly, improvements made to ventilation systems in these facilities cut coronavirus spread by about the same amount, the data showed.

During the nearly month-long study, the 169 kindergarten through fifth grade schools included in the analysis reported a total of 600 cases of COVID-19.

"This study found that before the availability of COVID-19 vaccines, the incidence of COVID-19 was 37% lower in schools that required mask use among teachers and staff members," the agency researchers wrote.

RELATED Number of U.S. kids hospitalized with COVID-19 is likely overcounted, study says

In addition, case rates were "39% lower in schools that reported implementing one or more strategies to improve classroom ventilation," they said.

Meanwhile, student COVID-19 programs implemented at Utah high schools from Dec. 1 to March 20 enabled completion of approximately 95% of high school extracurricular competition events and saved an estimated 109,752 in-person instruction days, the agency found in a separate analysis.

After closing their facilities last spring at the start of the pandemic, many school districts across the country opened classrooms for in-person learning in the fall. To do so safely, they instituted a number of measures designed to limit COVID-19 spread, including mask requirements and ventilation improvements.

RELATED Study: Physical activity improves self-control, academic performance in children

Examples of ventilation improvements include opening doors and windows and using fans to improve air circulation in classrooms, as well as the installation of high-efficiency particulate absorbing, or HEPA, filters, the CDC said.

Georgia required all schools open for in-person learning to report COVID-19 cases to the state Department of Public Health, according to the agency.

Among participating schools, 65% required masks for teachers and staff members, while 52% did so for students.

RELATED Israel study finds Pfizer vaccine 95% effective, even against 'British' variant

More than half the schools implemented improved ventilation strategies, while just under 20% spaced all student desks 6 feet or more apart. Just under 82% also offered flexible medical leave for teachers concerned about their risk for the virus.

Similarly, the state of Utah implemented two programs designed to complete extracurricular activities as scheduled and continue in-person instruction, according to the CDC.

As part of "Test to Play," which was implemented at 127 of the state's 193 high schools, student-athletes had to agree to be screened for COVID-19 every 14 days if they wanted to participate in extracurricular activities.

In "Test to Stay," used at 13 high schools, school-wide testing was performed using rapid tests in order to continue in-person instruction.

Among nearly 60,000 students tested through these programs, just under 1,900 received a positive result, the data showed.

"Utah's high school COVID-19 testing programs saved in-person instruction days and facilitated continuation of extracurricular activities in accordance with statewide public health policy during a period of high COVID-19 incidence," the CDC researchers wrote.

"Growing evidence suggests that when schools implement recommended prevention strategies ... in-school COVID-19 transmission is infrequent, while loss of in-person instruction can have detrimental effects on children's education and their social and emotional well-being," they said.

IMF pitches $50B plan to ramp up vaccinations, end COVID-19 pandemic


Homeless and migrant laborers affected by the COVID-19 lockdown queue up to receive free cooked food distributed by Sikh volunteers in New Delhi, India, on May 18, 2021. Photo by Abhishek/UPI | License Photo

May 21 (UPI) -- The International Monetary Fund announced a $50 billion proposal Friday aimed at a quicker end to the COVID-19 pandemic by vaccinating at least 40% of the global population by the end of the year, and 60% a year from now.

The IMF "Proposal to end the COVID-19 Pandemic" report said "urgent action is needed to arrest the rising human toll and economic strain."

"No country can return to normalcy until all countries can defeat the pandemic."

The IMF said accelerating the global vaccination program could generate $9 trillion for the global economy by 2025.

RELATED U.S. to start talks with WTO over lifting COVID-19 vaccine patents

It's estimated that only about 10% of the global population has so far received at least one vaccine dose

The $50 billion would be spent to increase vaccine production capacity and provide more testing. The funds also would expand the efforts of COVAX, the international partnership to distribute the vaccine to developing countries. The proposal recommends at least $4 billion in grants to COVAX.

The report said that less than 2% of Africa's population had been vaccinated at the end of April. By contrast, over 40% of the population in the United States and over 20% in Europe had received at least one dose of the vaccine at the end of last month.

RELATED New forecast says eurozone banks have enough cash to outlast COVID-19

"The social and economic costs of the pandemic continue to rise and already diverging recoveries between rich and poor nations looks to worsen," the IMF report said.

The IMF suggested that at least $35 billion could come from the grant financing of public and private donors, with the rest provided by governments. The report said at least $15 billion is available from COVID-19 funding created by development banks.

Earlier this month, U.S. President Joe Biden's administration said it would begin talks with the World Trade Organization about lifting intellectual property rights for coronavirus vaccines.

RELATED IMF leader says she expects economic acceleration with U.S. stimulus



Activists and foreign leaders urged the move, saying it would benefit poorer nations. The waiving of pharmaceutical patents on vaccine production allows poorer countries to make their own versions of the shot.

Greece forest fire destroys 4,000 acres; towns, monasteries evacuate

Firefighters are seen Thursday while battling a forest fire in Schino, Loutraki, Greece. The towns of Schinos, Aghia Sotira, Vamvakes, Mavrolimni, Mazi and Paraskevas were evacuated, as well as the Aghios Ioannis Makrinos and Aghia Paraskevi monasteries. Photo by Vassilis Psomas/EPA-EFE

May 21 (UPI) -- Greek firefighters kept up their battle Friday against a forest fire that's blackened more than 4,000 acres and evacuated more than a dozen nearby towns, two Greek Orthodox monasteries and a convent.

The fire started Wednesday west of Athens and close to 300 firefighters, air tankers and water-dropping helicopters have joined the fight over the past two days.

No deaths have been reported.

"We are moderately optimistic that the fire will be contained during the day," Nikos Hardalias, deputy minister of Civil Protection and Crisis Management, said on Friday, according to the Greek Reporter.

The blaze began in the village of Schinos and officials believe it was started by burning vegetation in an olive grove.

One resident called the fire a "total disaster" as vineyards, cottages and crops burned. He said the fire had gotten to within 3 miles of the coastal town of Megara on Thursday.

Fire officials say a number of properties have been destroyed.

Clouds of smoke obscured the view of the Acropolis in Athens on Thursday, according to the meteo.gr weather service. Thick smoke had reached as far away as Ikaria, an island in the eastern Aegean Sea.

Forest fires are common during Greece's hot summers and they're often fueled by drought. A major fire in 2018 devastated two Greek coastal towns south of Nea Makri and killed more than 100 people.

Biden signs order directing government to limit economic risks of climate change

President Joe Biden on Thursday signed an executive order directing the federal government to develop a strategy to prevent climate-related risks to the U.S. economy and related assets. Photo by Yuri Gripas/UPI | License Photo

May 20 (UPI) -- President Joe Biden signed an executive order on Thursday directing the federal government to develop a strategy limiting risks related to climate change on the United States' public and private financial assets.

The order directs National Climate Adviser Gina McCarthy and Director of the National Economic Council Brian Deese to develop a government-wide plan to identify and disclose climate-related financial risk to government programs, assets and liabilities in the next 120 days.

It also requires Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, as head of the Financial Stability Oversight Council, to deliver a report on climate-related risk to the stability of the federal government and the U.S. financial system with 180 days.

Labor Secretary Marty Walsh is ordered to consider suspending, revising or rescinding Trump administration policies that may prevent investment firms from considering environmental, social and governance factors including climate risks in investment decisions related to workers' pensions.

The White House acknowledged in a fact sheet released alongside the order that rising seas and extreme weather associated with the climate crisis can present risks to infrastructure, investments and businesses, but said the risks "are often hidden."

"The agency actions spurred by the president's directive today will help safeguard the financial security of America's families, businesses and workers from the climate-related financial risks they are already facing," the White House said.

Last month in opening remarks at the Leaders Summit on Climate, Biden pledged to cut U.S. emissions in half compared to 2005 levels by 2030 and reach net-zero emissions goals by 2050.

He also rejoined the Paris Agreement soon after taking office, renewing goals to reach 100% carbon pollution-free electricity by 2035, reduce pollution from the transportation sector, cut emissions from forests and agriculture, enhance carbon sinks and reduce non-carbon greenhouse gases like methane, hydrofluorocarbons and other pollutants.

Study: COVID-19 lockdowns led to 95K fewer air pollution-related deaths globally

Less traffic during COVID-19 lockdowns, similar to the pictured stretch of 42nd Street in New York City last March, is partially responsible for global reductions in air pollution that may have resulted in 95,000 fewer deaths in 2020. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo

May 21 (UPI) -- Business closures and stay-at-home orders intended to stem the spread of COVID-19 cut deaths caused by air pollution by an estimated 95,000 globally in 2020, an analysis published Friday by Science Advances found.

Lockdown measures imposed on and off in many countries since the start of the pandemic in March 2020 resulted in up to a 50% reduction in concentrations of nitrogen dioxide, a direct emission from vehicles and coal-powered electricity plants, in the air worldwide, the data showed.

However, while lockdowns may have led to a more than 30% drop in microscopic particulate matter released into the air as a result of burning fuel, as well as an up to 28% decline in ozone in parts of Asia, their effects in Europe and the United States were negligible.

Although the reductions in airborne pollution varied from country to country, they were significant enough in densely populated areas to have a positive, though in most cases modest, effect on related deaths, they said.

RELATED Study links vehicle exhaust exposure in childhood with later mental health risk

"The air pollution declines that we calculated are primarily due to reduced economic activity during the COVID-19 lockdown," study co-author Guillaume Chossiere told UPI in an email.

"Our study controlled for seasonal and inter-annual trends and found that the stringency of the lockdowns was a statistically significant driver of the decreases," said Chossiere, a researcher in the Laboratory for Aviation and the Environment at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge.

The findings are based on an assessment of air quality in 36 countries across three continents -- North America, Asia and Europe -- using satellite imagery and on-the-ground measurements.

RELATED More than 40% in U.S. live in cities with unhealthy air, study says

The United States saw a more than 4% drop in airborne nitrogen oxide levels, but a less than 1% decline in ozone, the data showed. Airborne particulate matter levels remained relatively stable nationally as well.

As a result, the United States accounted for a fraction of the reduction in "premature deaths" -- or deaths occurring earlier than life expectancy -- caused by respiratory illnesses linked with air pollution exposure.

Conversely, China, which, along with the United States, is among the world's biggest polluters, likely made up nearly 80% of the global reduction in premature deaths attributed to air pollution, according to the researchers.

RELATED Study: California rules reduced diesel emissions, cut related deaths in half

The findings suggest COVID-19 lockdowns "exerted a limited effect" on global air quality, although some parts of East Asia experienced "pronounced improvements," they said.

"Although the COVID-19 related lockdowns brought significant reductions in economic activities, air pollution levels did not decrease as much as had been speculated at first," Chossiere said.

"Primary pollution [from] nitrogen dioxide had the largest decreases and associated health benefits, but, with the notable exception of China, secondary air pollution [from] fine particulates and ozone did not bring significant health benefits," he said.