Coronavirus shows the way to clean environment

    03-Apr-2020
Debapriya Mukherjee
The novel SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus that caused a large scale COVID-19 epidemic and spread to more than 150  countries is the product of natural evolution, according to findings published in the journal Nature Medicine. The scientists, by comparing the available genome sequence data for known coronavirus strains, advocated that the virus was not made in a laboratory or otherwise engineered. Biologists have known for years that more than half of the diseases that infect humans come from animals. By disrupting the natural world, humans increase their own risk of epidemics. Increasingly, these zoonotic diseases are linked to environmental change and human behavior. The disruption of pristine forests driven by logging, mining, road building through remote places, rapid urbanization and population growth is bringing people into closer contact with animal species they may never have been near before. Now we have realized that this mindless pursuit of capital to focus the GDP and prosperity may cause severe health issue.
Many countries go on lockdown, factories are closed and international air travel grinds to a halt.  Prime ministers in many countries have closed all schools and universities. Practically coronavirus has disrupted everyday life throughout the world through travel bans, flight restrictions and the cancellation of sporting and cultural events. Despite the costs and inconveniences on account of these actions, the general public is generally even approving. The actions taken to contain the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic causes  a sharp reduction in global carbon emissions with reduction of particulate matters, oxides of nitrogen in ambient air. This air pollution is responsible for at least 8 millions early deaths a year. At just two months of reduction in pollution levels likely saved the lives of 4,000 children under five and 73,000 adults over 70 in China alone as reported by the scientists. Deaths from the coronavirus itself till date is quite less compared to deaths due to air pollution. The respiratory infections on account of coronavirus may well have a more serious impact on city dwellers and those exposed to toxic fumes than on others residing in rural area. It may be mentioned that  air quality may have increased the death toll of a previous coronavirus outbreak, the SARS pandemic of 2003. One study of SARS patients found that people living in regions with a moderate amount of air pollution were 84 percent more likely to die than those in regions with cleaner air. Scientists has established proven link between poor air quality and premature deaths. There is strong evidence that the lives saved from this reduction in pollution caused by economic disruption from COVID-19 exceeds the death toll from the virus itself.
As reported, CO2 emissions were decreased by at least 25% from February 3 to March1 in this year in China. A satellite that detects traces of human activity — tailpipe emissions from cars and trucks, fossil fuel burned in power plants and other industrial activities — shows striking reductions in pollution across China and Italy since the outbreak first started. The impact of this reduction of air pollution is quite remarkable though this decrease will be temporary.   The world’s drastic actions to contain coronavirus may provide valuable lessons for climate action and clearly focused that procrastination, short-termism and scientific denial are the hallmarks of our inaction on climate change – but the coronavirus provides an opportunity for us to kick those long-standing habits. At the point of global emergency, politicians who appear to not believe in science are putting us all at risk. This statement may apply equally to coronavirus and climate change.
The role of individual action to change the lifestyle as a result of lockdown, less travelling, less meat consumption, stay in home  and many more in mitigating  the climate crisis  is still being debated but actions taken to contain coronavirus has clearly explored the urgent need to restrict population explosion, unprecedented destruction of nature , mindless exploitation of earth’s resources and human’s endless greed for luxury life style as well as necessity towards a life of simplicity.  This is the golden opportunity to change hearts and minds of the people for their behavioral change to mitigate climate crisis citing example of pollution reduction (both water and air) on account of actions taken to contain coronavirus epidemic. Also, the response to coronavirus teaches  that people can still work together to do the right thing.  To be continued