Products of a Pandemic: Lessons to learn from the Earth

Dolphins returning to the coasts of Italy. Canals of Venice clearing up. Skies of smog disappearing. Across the world, as factories shut down and people retreat to their homes, there have been dramatic decreases in pollution and carbon emission levels. It seems there is a silver lining to this crisis as nature reclaims what was once hers; but we must remember this is only temporary. When lockdowns end, as factories reopen and people rejoin society, the dark skies and greenhouse gases that plague nature will return. Furthermore, unbeknownst to many, there are a host of problems that this pandemic presents for the climate crisis.

UN Secretary General António Guterres had said 2020 would be a “pivotal year” in the fight against climate change, with the introduction of new policies and deals. However, the annual climate summit, scheduled for November 2020, has been postponed to 2021. This places a significant dent in the timeline for action, and means we lose time we don’t have. The outbreak of COVID-19 has brought the world to a grinding halt, but the issue of global warming will not stop for anything or anyone.

Aside from future action, the coronavirus pandemic is also negatively impacting nature by generating new problems: mountains of non-recyclable waste, unseen amounts of organic waste, widespread abandonment of environmental protection and monitoring programs, and lost revenue from tourism.

As waste processing centers suspend recycling to prevent the virus from spreading, and as the industry as a whole is limited by lockdowns, they struggle to process the sudden influx of waste from takeout packaging and home deliveries. Additionally, the emergence of strict importing and exporting regulations has led to large amounts of unshippable products of the global agriculture and meat industries. As a result, organic material wastes away in ports in hundreds and thousands of tons, polluting waterways and straining local markets; in addition, this waste is expected to increase levels of methane emissions.

Unfortunately, it is not just nature suffering, as thousands of workers in developing countries have lost work and struggle to provide for their families.

In addition to a spike in greenhouse gas emissions, many ecosystems and animal species are at risk with the majority of environmental protection workers considered nonessential workers. As these environments go unmonitored, there is an increase in illegal deforestation, fishing, and wildlife hunting. Furthermore, the revenue from tourism of popular ecological destinations such as the safari and rainforests has ceased and led to crippling consequences for human and animal life alike.

Many of the environmental problems caused by the coronavirus pandemic will eventually resolve on their own once the crisis slows down and prior levels of economic activity resume, but there will be irreversible consequences, such a decrease in the numbers of endangered species and the deaths of many in third world countries.

However, what we have learned about the environmental benefits and risks of sharp drops in global economic activity will certainly help us to better understand the mechanics of environmental sustainability, societal consumption patterns, and how to reduce environmental degradation in a future crisis-free world.

Attention must be given to threats on the environment and natural resource bases as a result of the coronavirus pandemic and consequential social and economic impacts.

Many rural and coastal populations rely on the sustainable use of the local environment and its natural resources - whether they be small sustenance farmers, or larger enterprises involved in the production of agriculture and meat products and ecotourism services.

As the crisis causes decreases in demand, many rural producers, of whom many are women supporting entire households, are now no longer able to fully maintain their livelihoods.

If the crisis is prolonged, many will be forced to abandon existing sustainable production in order to generate income quickly in domestic markets, potentially resulting in further poverty and over-exploitation of natural resources and ecosystems.

In order to help the environment even after lockdowns end, try cutting down on your meat intake and reducing use of single-use plastics. If you can, a donation to groups such as the Environmental Defense Fund and the Sierra Club Foundation go a long way. However, in order to make real change, we need to get big businesses and governments on board. To do this, you can try reaching out to representatives and local government offices. Remember, you're not alone in this fight. Try connecting with groups such as Fridays for Future!