Coronavirus – one word to spark a continuous train of associations with lockdown, social distancing, hospitalisations, daily deaths, unemployment, economy collapse, a mental health crisis… We could talk all day about the negative impacts a tiny virus has on the world.
It is undeniable that the coronavirus has cost millions of lives and has largely negatively impacted society. However, as human activity and behaviour significantly changed under lockdown there were unmistakable impacts on the environment. Here are some of the positives:
Clear air - It doesn’t take rocket science to discover that human health is negatively affected by poor air quality resulting from traffic. However, during lockdown once congested roads were silenced like never before, giving urban residents a chance to breath clean air. NASA and the European Space Agency detected a dramatic decline in NO2 over China (1). One study estimated that between 1st January and 5th July 2020, lockdown measures reduced premature deaths related to air pollution in 76 countries and regions (2).
Greenhouse Gases - According to researchers interviewed by the BBC, some greenhouse gas emissions fell by 50% in New York, again associated with a drop in vehicle usage (3).
Wildlife thrived – The National Trust reported that lack of disturbance enabled Peregrine falcons to nest peacefully in Dorset (4). There were also reports of ecological restoration of areas normally inundated by tourists (5).
Cycling – one of the best sports in the world (no bias here at all!) grew by 300% over some days in lockdown (6). Not only is cycling a healthy activity but it is also a great form of sustainable transport.
Connecting to nature – The RSPB reported more people sharing wildlife sightings as people invested more time in their gardens (7). Google searches for “bird feeders” increased by 17 points out of 100 after lockdown was implemented (8).
Identifying the positives as well as the negative impacts (PPE waste, less recycling4) of the pandemic can help strategies to be identified to help improve environmental sustainability in the future such as:
Promoting opportunities for more people to connect to nature – particularly in urban areas.
Promoting sustainable transport.
Encouraging outdoor activities.
Enabling people to work from home to reduce traffic and allow people to spend more time in nature.
Encouraging local holidays and outdoor recreation.
Encouraging sustainable tourism.
Supporting local food production.
1. https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/146362/airborne-nitrogen-dioxide-plummets-over-china
2. Liu Feng, Wang, Meichang, Zheng, Meina, (2021), Effects of COVID-19 lockdown on global air quality and health, Sci Total Environ.
5. Rume, T., Islam, S.M.D., (2020), Environmental effects of COVID-19 pandemic and potential strategies of sustainability, Heliyon.
8. Brock, M., Doremus, J., Li, L., (2020), Birds of a feather lockdown together: Mutual bird-human benefits during a pandemic, University of East Anglia School of Economics Working Paper Series 2019-07, School of Economics, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK.