Within the past two weeks I have switched to remote learning, evacuated my dorm room, adjusted to working at home, and quarantined myself to a tiny studio apartment. My future plans have been put on hold and I have been told to wait for things to get better as everything around me crumbles. Now, I find myself wishing for a sense of normalcy, but at the same time, the last thing I want is for things to go exactly back to the way they were before.
As the world hunkers down and carbon related human activity diminishes, it is as if our planet is heaving an almost audible sound of relief. According to NASA, nitrogen oxide levels have significantly decreased in eastern and central China, and Italy since both countries went on lockdown. The same goes for the U.K. and South Korea. New York City is also experiencing lower levels of pollution due to less traffic on the road, which is estimated to be down by 35 percent. Carbon monoxide and CO2 levels are lower than they were in March, 2019, according to researchers at Columbia University.
I am not advocating for the world to remain quarantined perpetually in order to keep greenhouse gas emissions low. However, the data demonstrates that drastic decisions made by governments around the world can have an equally drastic effect on the environment. The question now becomes, what will happen when our lives resume and we are allowed to leave the confines of our homes. Are emissions going to skyrocket as we all take advantage of our newfound freedom, or will we use this experience as a wakeup call for change?
The answer to these questions largely depends on how the United States, China, Italy, and other countries hit hard by the virus decide to re-stimulate their economies. If we are not careful with our stimulus policies, CO2 levels may increase rapidly, similar to what happened in 2010 after the 2008 recession. To make sure this does not happen again, we should take this opportunity to invest in alternative sources of energy instead of continuing to rely on the fossil fuel industry.
If COVID-19 has taught us anything, it is that if we wait too long to respond to a crisis, it becomes too late. It is clear that we are woefully unprepared to handle this crisis effectively and minimize the loss of life. According to the latest estimates, there are over 364,000 cases of coronavirus and close to 11,000 deaths in the US alone. Amidst the ever-increasing number of confirmed cases, there is a widespread shortage of ventilators for use in ICUs and N95 masks for front line responders. Now doctors are being told to re-use their masks and protective gear, putting themselves and patients they interact with at an increased risk for contracting the virus. Many have even compared the situation to being at war without ammo.
If we wait too long to address climate change, the results will be just as catastrophic if not more so. According to the IPCC, if global temperatures rise 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels the number of heat waves, heavy precipitation, and extreme droughts will exponentially increase. Moreover, tens of thousands of different plants, insects, and animals are expected to become extinct. As with the current pandemic on our hands, the most vulnerable populations are the ones that will be most affected by a climate crisis. Food and water shortages will become more widespread and entire populations of people will be forced to migrate from their homes.
This pandemic has shone a spotlight on the numerous ways our current system has failed us. Our healthcare system is in shambles, sick people are still going to work because they do not have paid sick leave, and the global economy is in a freefall. Clearly the status quo was not enough to cope with the economic and social costs caused by COVID-19 and it will not be to cope with climate change either.
We cannot sit back and wait for global warming to subside on its own, lest we want to see millions of people suffer. So while those around me continue to wish for things to be normal again, my hope is that our new “normal” is more than just a reiteration of what we had before. It is time for a revolution.