How Coronavirus is Impacting Climate Change
From bluer skies to wild animals spotted frolicking around deserted cities, simple, everyday observations show us that coronavirus and climate change are linked. But there’s so much our eyes cannot tell us about these new trends: how deep and permanent are the changes we are seeing? Are they all for the better? And how we can sustain the positive effects after coronavirus passes?
Coronavirus has caused the global economy to grind to a halt. Shuttered factories, grounded planes, and stay-at-home orders have led to unprecedented drops in emissions. Some early research in New York City shows that carbon monoxide, mostly from cars, has been reduced by nearly 50 percent compared with 2019, as reported by the BBC. Data from Italy and China tell a similar story.
Surely the fact that the world is consuming less fuel is good for the environment. We see clearer skies over the world’s most polluted cities, but with that fresh air comes unnerving economic news: U.S. crude oil futures tanked to an unheard of low: minus $37 a barrel. This will undoubtedly have some unforeseen effects. For example, with the price of oil so low, it will be cheaper for companies to produce virgin plastic than to recycle. With restaurants closed except for take-out, there’s been a huge spike in demand for one-time use plastics. Even some grocery stores are banning reusable bags during the coronavirus, forcing customers to use plastic bags, which take 10 to 20 years to decompose.
With oil prices so low, and economies under such strain, there will be pent up demand when the world restarts. After the Great Recession of 2008, the global economy slowed and emissions dropped for a time, but ultimately emissions rose as the economy rebounded. Soon factories will go back to churning out unneeded goods destined for landfills. And with low oil prices, there will be little incentive for countries to prioritize environmental standards in their drive for higher GDP. In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, U.S. President Donald Trump has not hesitated to weaken auto emission standards, with plans to further relax environmental regulations.
So while climate change activists have reason to rejoice in the small victory that is this coronavirus pause, what we are seeing is just a temporary blip on an otherwise devastating path toward climate destruction—unless we take the coronavirus pause as an opportunity to rethink our actions.
What coronavirus is to the environment is an opportunity. The global shut down is a pause on carbon emissions and an opportunity to reassess the best way to re-stimulate the global economy in a sustainable way. Governments around the world are preparing packages to bailout industries. Environmental groups are already working to ensure funds don’t go to dirty polluters, like in South Korea, where NGOs are working to stop coal-fired power plants from getting funding. Similarly, Austria is working to tie its bailout of Austrian Airlines to climate targets, and urging France to do the same with its national carrier, Air France.
On a more local level, reduced traffic is offering a window into how cities could be more pedestrian and bike friendly, and more livable with expanded green spaces. This would not be the first health crisis to lead to better quality of life in cities. After cholera outbreaks in the 1830s, London improved its sanitation, and a tuberculosis epidemic in New York City once led to better public transportation and improved housing regulations there. The coronavirus pandemic is already pushing Singapore to focus on food security and urban farming while Spain and Brazil increase monetary support for the urban poor.
Governments are pushing back, but now’s the time for real change. Staying at home, we’ve had a window into what a cleaner world looks like, and people around the globe are appreciating nature in a way they haven’t before. This coronavirus pause may have a deep impact on people’s priorities, since they can’t go shopping or traveling. The pandemic is also elevating people’s respect for scientists, who have been sounding the bell about climate change for decades.