A Lasting Positive Effect of COVID-19 on Environment_

The deadly Pandemic COVID-19 has struck the world pretty hard and forced into a global lockdown. It is sending thousands of people to graveyards every day. Not to doubt that Corona Virus has brought a tragedy upon the entire humanity. Many of us are losing their loved ones, the economy is getting worse, millions of people are under financial crisis yet there is an unintended lasting positive effect of COVID-19 on the battered environment.

Climate change and the environmental crisis remains a hot topic globally. While environmentalists like Greta Thunberg, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez are working towards planting the seed of sustainability, the deadly Corona is a great help for environmentalists and the environment itself. Several media channels have informed a radical change in the environment for a couple of weeks. As I am speaking, a lake near my house is also showing some signs.

According to a report by Carbon Tax Center, the current carbon dioxide concentration could come down to half this year because of the steps taken by the world to resist the Corona Virus. The COVID-19 lockdown might reduce carbon emission more than 37% in US alone while international transportation will cut down 40% in comparison to previous years. If we include all other countries, the global average can stand down to a speculative of 21%. As a result, the global carbon emission will fall short of nearly an estimated value by 7 to 8 billion metric tons.

As a matter of fact, what Greta Thunberg, Bill McKibben, 350.org, The Paris Climate Accord, and many others couldn’t do, COVID-19 is doing it. Though this is just a temporary lockdown yet the positive effect of COVID-19 can last long if global leaders are critical of the lesson. Initially, it sounds like Corona Virus is a trade for nature’s greater good, but yes, it is the present reality. The tragedy of this event and the suffering is a different story. We can not move, we can not enjoy traveling, we are missing our friends and family, maybe your business is suffering, your career is at risk. Still, there is a lot more to think. Literally, nature is reviving, animals are walking free, lakes, rivers and sea beaches are clean and you can see the sky is cleaner than before.

Pollution and Greenhouse gas emissions have fallen dramatically, as global travel restrictions, and many other human activities halt altogether. Despite all this, we are crystal clear that this is just a temporary lockdown and the same transportation, factories, urban life, all will be soon back.

So let’s get to the point now, and let’s talk about what positive impacts are and can COVID-19 have on the environment and people’s life?

First of all, global citizens should understand the inevitable factor that climate change is real. It is happening and will keep continue as humanity prospers. It has been a very long time that the world has not seen such kind of lockdown and travel restrictions. Upon this total global containment, the nature around us is showing some signs of changes including a significant fall in carbon emission, waste disposal, water pollution, etc. According to several reports, like many other parts of the world, the water body around Venice, one of the epicenters of the Corona Virus is getting cleaner day by day. Most of the major air-polluted cities appeared clean. The young generation Bangladeshi people never saw Dolphins in Cox’s Bazar sea beach, while dolphins appear to show up. Hong Kong zoo Pandas got first-time private times in decades. The list goes on.

Finally, it is to understand, how much we learn from this lockdown? And how the world will respond in the future? Isn’t it the time, our global leaders observe nature closely and make historic decision to save the world from decay. Entrepreneurs all over the world should learn from this and act wisely for a better and sustainable world so that our future generations can enjoy the beauty of nature. At this moment, people do not have time to think about all these little changes in nature but when it’s finished, we should listen to those environmentalists and stop the austerity towards our mother nature. Maybe we should learn to adapt a better and sustainable vision like Bhutan so that we can keep the carbon emission low as much as possible. Now rest is just anticipation if the world can learn from this event and practice this positive effect of COVID-19 in all the way possible.