Unpacking the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on regional mobility, economy, and sustainability: insights from Asia and beyond

The emergence of the COVID-19 disease initially occurred in China, followed by its rapid spread across major cities in neighboring Asian countries and global hubs. However, as the pandemic continued, notable variations emerged between Asian and Western nations with regard to their rates of confirmed cases and mortality, as well as the extent and timing of their social distancing policies, which ranged from strict coercion to greater autonomy. These differences had consequential effects on people’s perceptions and behaviors, which in turn impacted economic, environmental, and social sustainability (Gim 2022; 2023). COVID-19 has impacted all aspects of daily life, including economic and leisure activities, both directly through physical confinement due to social distancing regulations and indirectly through the avoidance of face-to-face contact, resulting in increased indoor personal activities and visits to green spaces in response to vague fears of infection. Specifically, the implementation of measures such as working from home, unpaid leave, and business closures have caused declines in revenue and sales in traditional industries. Meanwhile, these measures have also led to a surge in the platform-based non-face-to-face economy (e.g., delivery services) and hygiene-related businesses. Moreover, variations in the spread and control of (mis)information through mass media, social media, and government channels have resulted in societal differences with respect to the changes wrought by the pandemic. …