As the pandemic COVID-19 spreads rapidly, governments around the globe have imposed strict restrictions to check it. Lockdowns in several countries have resulted in significant improvement in environmental quality. In this review we aimed to disseminate comprehensive knowledge regarding recent positive changes in air quality, plausible factors behind it and the impact of the novel coronavirus outbreak on the climate for a long run. Restoration in air quality and ecological rejuvenation has been observed as concentration of NOx, CO2, PM2. 5, PM10 and other pollutants have been reduced over several parts of the world which might be due to immense plunge in industrial activity, consumption of fossil fuels, electricity demand, road transport, aviation and even due to behavioral changes during lockdown period. Though shrinking emissions at the cost of human lives is not a desirable way, but the situation seems to be a turning point towards climate change. Economic burden of managing the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak coupled with the possibility of bouncing back of the emissions afterwards are posing questions on the persistence of this positive change, but efforts of governments and its citizens to tackle this catastrophic phase indicate that it is possible to sustain this climatic restoration, but only through wise policies as well as individual participation.