SPATIAL VARIATION OF NO2 LEVELS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC IN THE BALI TOURISM AREA

NO2 levels that exceed quality standards will negatively impact the environment and human health. The purpose of this study was to determine changes in the content of NO2 temporally. The method used is descriptive quantitative, with data analysis using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing data extraction using Google Earth Engine (GEE). The remote sensing data used is Sentinel 5p – TROPOMI whose sensors have the ability to detect air pollution. The results of this study indicate the occurrence of different variations during the Covid-19 Pandemic in the Bali Tourism Area, decreasing or increasing NO2 levels. The decrease in NO2 levels in the air is due to reduced human activities outside the home due to the implementation of the Indonesian Government's policies in the form of Large-Scale Restrictions, Work From Home (WFH), and the religious traditions of Hindus in Bali (Nyepi Day on March 25, 2020). NO2 levels increase again after a long holiday in Indonesia on November-December 2020, due to the large number of tourists visiting Bali Province. The arrival of these tourists increases human activities around the tourism area, such as opening hotels, restaurants, and means of land, sea, and air transportation. Tourism areas tend to have high building density and population. Thus, making green open space low. Whereas green open space is very useful in absorbing air pollution, it is recommended to add green open space or revegetation in every hotel building to maintain good air quality. © 2022, Asociatia Geographia Technica. All rights reserved.