Our existential crises: COVID-19 and Climate Change

The world is currently facing an unprecedented pandemic, however, it is still important to remember that we had existing issues which can't be overlooked as a result. The COVID-19 pandemic has uncovered a mass of pre-existing, unresolved issues and in some cases only recently created a sense of urgency in dealing with these issues [6]. The pandemic not only pressured us to redress these issues but to also change how we intend to produce solutions [2]. One such issue is that of our existence: climate change.

Although the world is facing a challenge unlike any other with the current pandemic, we cannot forget that we were already facing an existential crisis and now we have two. Both climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic are immediate existential crises, however, the pandemic is considered a more immediate form [6]. This kind of thinking is flawed and will only lead to our remedying one problem while exacerbating another. The COVID-19 pandemic and the issue of climate change cannot be thought of as independent or mutually exclusive events as we are currently living through both crises. We have already seen both the negative and positive impacts of dealing with the pandemic across multiple sectors.

We have seen dramatic reductions in air pollution, mainly as a result of the decrease in flights which are a large contributor to air pollution [2]. There have been known environmental gains obtained from people all around the world going into subsequent lockdown and can be seen in how air pollution decreased over China, Italy, Spain and the UK [2]. However, the main question that remains is whether these gains are sustainable and if we would be able to maintain and improve them in the future. It is important to note that the improvements in the environment have not actually been obtained in a sustainable manner [2] since it would be unrealistic to expect people to stay at home forever. This is evident in the rise of levels of pollution after reopening the economy.

The patterns of air pollution seen over China demonstrate a lack of sustainability as pollution levels returned to normal after economic reopening [1]. This also is not something new seen over China as a similar pattern is seen every year during the Lunar New Year holiday season [1]. This kind of rebounding pollution level could have implications on future environmental health particularly in terms of air pollution.

It is also important to note that the drops we see in air pollution are actually only in short-term emissions (mostly from daily commutes) [2]. This means that the existing damage has not been reversed or repaired in any way and that we are still continuing to expel emissions which are longer-lasting, such as from factories and coal-driven electricity use [1]. This relates to the importance of the global emission reaching a level of zero emissions, as there is damage that has been done which requires stringent, drastic action should we wish to see any improvement [6] Therefore, simply staying at home cannot possibly fully repair existing damage.

There have also been large losses for climate action which have occurred as a result of the lockdowns which have been enforced. Decreased oil prices promote plastic production, which has been a pressing global issue preceding the arrival of the current pandemic [5]. The levels of poaching have seen an increase in South Africa, as some poachers view the lockdown as an opportunity [3]. The arrival of COVID-19 has also made clear the issues of social classing, as millions of people could be forced into poverty as a result of job loss and a lack of access to resources, majority of which will come from Sub-Saharan Africa [4]. These are issues which we will have to face even beyond the current pandemic, therefore it would be in the best interests of all parties involved to face these issues head-on instead of waiting for them to fester and become uncontrollable.

Due to the lack of sustainability of the lockdown as an environmental protection and restoration model, it is important for countries to recognize and maintain any environmental protection gains. It is not enough to merely be aware of the fact that the lockdown periods have also helped the environment to improve. We must aim to continue this trend, recognize new possible issues and act accordingly. The COVID-19 outbreak has demonstrated just how closely the well-being of the environment is integrated into every part of our lives and how it is our responsibility to maintain a balance. These trying times could be an opportunity for us, the people of the world, to move away from our behaviours that we now know do not work and start creating a healthier, equal and sustainable future.

Live green, see green

Shannon

References:

1. Friedman, L. (2020). How will the world’s COVID-19 response impact the environment? Phys Org. [Online] Available at: https://phys.org/news/2020-05-world-covid-response-impact-environment.html (Accessed on 16/05/2020).

2. Henriques, M. (2020). Will Covid-19 have a lasting impact on the environment? BBC Future. [Online] Available at: https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200326-covid-19-the-impact-of-coronavirus-on-the-environment (Accessed on 14/05/2020).

3. Pinnock, D. (2020). How the Coronavirus changes poaching strategies. Rhino Review. [Online] Availble at: https://rhinoreview.org/how-the-coronavirus-changes-poaching-strategie/ (Accessed 16/05/2020).

4. Sánchez-Páramo, C. (2020). COVID-19 will hit the poor hardest. Here’s what we can do about it. World Bank Blogs. [Online] Available at: https://blogs.worldbank.org/voices/covid-19-will-hit-poor-hardest-heres-what-we-can-do-about-it (Accessed 16/05/2020).

5. Simon, M. (2020). How is the coronavirus pandemic affecting climate change? Wired. [Online] Available at: https://www.wired.com/story/coronavirus-pandemic-climate-change/ (Accessed on 16/05/2020).

6. Wyns, A. (2020). How our response to climate change and the coronavirus are linked. World Economic Forum. [Online] Available at: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/04/climate-change-coronavirus-linked/ (Accessed on 14/05/2020).