COVID-19, declared a pandemic by the World Health
Organization, has claimed more than 190,000 cases and 5,000 deaths in some 162
countries. But, amid the state of alarm and with the priority of the
authorities to contain its expansion, provide a correction of medical care, a
moment of collective reflection opens those points towards a feasible social,
economic and environmental transformation.
It is very
likely that in 2020 the reductions will be much greater. We can be talking
about a 10% reduction in emissions due to the fall of coal and the effect of
the great Coronavirus crisis. We will have to consider, in any case, how long
the COVID-19 pandemic will last and
how we emerged from the crisis. What is already being observed by means of
satellites is the reduction of NOx, which is the most visible from space.
The nitrogen
dioxide emissions a reduction that, from January to March, is especially
visible in northern Italy. That is a circumstance coinciding with the national
blockade of the countries to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. After the
Asian confined 40 million people in Hubei province; a drastic measure, but one
that has been found to be effective in containing the pandemic, NASA detected
specific reductions in nitrogen dioxide emissions.
On the other hand,
one of the important factors to reflect on with this crisis is employment and
the continuation of companies. The confinement that the world population has
been forced to carry out leaves other reflections to assess in the medium term.
Now, most visibly,
economic and business activity is being drastically reduced due to the need to
contain the virus, but other issues lie behind it. Many jobs require the
physical presence of workers, especially that involving customer service in any
form, but teleworking worldwide has now become a highly feasible ally.
Both WWF, the
Sustainability Observatory and The Climate Reality Project agree on the
suitability of implementing telework as a common modality in the company of the
countries after the COVID-19 crisis.
Teleworking reduces emissions in our local environments. We no longer only talk
about remote places or distant places, but about our own environments and we
see it with our own eyes.
The prolonged blockades against the
coronavirus that have been implemented in most countries have made clear
various reflections about what is coming for the world. We must understand that
we have to live with the virus until a drug is found, especially the vaccine.
This implies ensuring what we have achieved so far. The COVID-19 crisis is a turning point for citizens to value what
really matters and to connect more and better with their environment and with
themselves.
It is only a
matter of time to check what we will learn from this crisis and what changes we
implement as a society to preserve health, well-being, work, conciliation,
respect for others and for the common home, which is the planet, with its rich
and at the same time wounded biodiversity.