By paralyzing daily life and the economy, the Covid-19 pandemic is reducing our environmental footprint. A blessing in disguise.
Pandemics are a bit like Star Wars. On the dark side of the force, there’s the lightning-fast coronavirus which, in the space of a few weeks, has claimed the lives of 13,000 people worldwide, according to theWorld Health Organization. Important though this figure may be, it needs to be put into perspective. Urban air pollution kills between 400 and 800 times more people every year[1], and no one has anything to say about it. Talking about air quality brings up the bright side of Covid-19’s power.
By quarantining their populations, the governments of China, Italy, France and California have slowed economic activity and, consequently, pollutant emissions. In early March, satellites from NASA and the European Space Agency showed spectacular reductions (-10% to -30%) in concentrations of fine particles and nitrogen dioxide over the industrialized regions of China and Italy.
This is good news, because poor air quality could facilitate the spread of Covid-19, according to the ItalianSociety for Environmental Health. If it lasts, the clean-up of the metropolitan atmosphere could save more lives than the pandemic will take.
I was talking about airplanes. Let’s get back on track. If Boeing, Airbus and Bombardier remain grounded, that’s a lot of kerosene that won’t be burned, and a lot ofCO2 emissions saved. Add to this the virtual stoppage of heavy industry. All of which means a significant reduction in energy consumption. In France, demand for natural gas and electricity has already fallen by 10% to 15% in recent days, compared with “normal” March days. This drop in carbon activity has led some experts to predict that global GHG emissions could fall by 2020: a first since the 2009 financial crisis!
The pandemic is also full of unexpected positive effects. In Venice, the suspension of vaporetti and gondola traffic has restored the canals’ original transparency.
In Europe and the United States, administrations are promising thousands of billions of dollars to companies and individuals to boost the economy. Proof, if proof were needed, that in times of danger, governments can ignore their promises of financial rigor. Just what we need! Curbing global warming and the erosion of biodiversity will require significant investment over the next generation or two. We’ve already taken the plunge. It would be a shame to stop there.
Volodia Opritchnik
[1] It all depends on whether the health balance sheet includes indirect effects such as the onset of non-communicable diseases (diabetes or hypertension).
[2] According to a study carried out in 2016 by EY on behalf of the French Environment and Energy Management Agency (Ademe) and the French National Noise Council (CNB).
