In January, China reported the death of a 61-year old Wuhan man of causes related to an unknown type of coronavirus, and since then 2.8 million people in 210 countries and territories have been infected, leaving 200,000 dead in its wake. Meanwhile, as the number of victims continue to rise, virologists and epidemiologist struggle to identify the mutating virus, now referred to as Covid 19.
This is not the first global pandemic. In the past two decades we’ve tackled SARS, swine flu, MERS and ebola, and we are fast overtaking the same number of deaths caused by swine flu, the deadliest virus thus far. The difference between Covid-19 and all the others before it, is the speed of its contagion and the severity of its economic consequences.
To contain the pandemic, countries have had to lockdown, closing borders and limiting the movement of their people. Private cars are banned and public transportation offers only limited services. Citizens have been forced to work in the confines of their homes and not venture outside. Only businesses and organizations providing essential public services are allowed to remain open.
As a consequence, China, the world’s factory and its second-largest economy, has seen its industrial production fall, setting a chain reaction around the world that could lead to the unwelcome prospect of a recession in both developed and emerging economies.
We are now living in a time of great uncertainty. When, if at all, can the contagion be stopped? Can vaccines be found to reduce the number of daily deaths, or will we, in time, develop our own antibodies to fight the virus? The lack of answers is particularly unnerving when some experts further claim the virus is not spread through respiratory droplets alone, as first thought, but that it can survive on surfaces and in the air for hours.
As humankind suffers, however, Mother Nature seems to be flourishing. Pollution levels have dropped and wild animals have been spotted in the empty streets of cities in Japan. In New York, once teeming with busy people and non-stop automobiles, pollution levels have fallen by half. The canals in Venice are clear again, populated once more with small fish, as gondolas no longer dominate. In the two months since December, the air quality in China improved by 21.5 percent.
Closer to home, air quality in Jakarta has improved since the local government imposed physical distancing, limited public transportation, and closed offices and schools. With greater restriction of movement enforced until late May, Jakarta residents are able to breathe cleaner air. Blue skies are rare in a city notorious for its pollution but now we can witness more butterflies flitting around gardens and birds flying about in the clear blue skies. Even the mountains bordering the city can be seen in all their majesty.
If Mother Nature is being given a respite, will it be temporary? The virus restricted human activity but once this pandemic is over, will we return to our old ways of unchecked environmental exploitation and unsustainable economic practices? Will we heed this warning given to us? Or can we create a new ‘normal’ which balances long-term gains for both nature and man with short-term consumption needs?
According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), three-quarters of our land and two-thirds of our oceans have been altered by human activities. This has led to the ‘anthropocene’ era which brings people, wildlife, and livestock in closer contact, facilitating the spread of diseases, bacteria and viruses. Margaret Arbuthnot, Deputy Director of Markets Program WWF-USA, explains that these diseases are kept in check by complex ecosystems but if humans, through their exploitation of nature, degrade and simplify these ecosystems, encroach into the dwindling parcels of wildlife habitat, we become exposed to viruses that constantly seek new hosts. Although it is not yet clear whether the Covid-19 originated from animals, the message is clear: the health of the planet impacts on the health of humankind.
The ‘new normal’ which we need to create is one that recognizes this simple fact that we need to take care of our planet. Governments, the private sector and consumers need to work closely together to embed and internalize sustainability in how we produce and consume. We have the knowledge, the technology, the ability to innovate and the creativity to be able to achieve an equilibrium between our need for economic growth and protecting the planet. The average man in the street must understand too that sustainable development is about how each one of us live our day-to-day lives. We need the conviction to see this through and create a more resilient world.
It should not take a crippling pandemic to make us realize that if Mother Nature is not respected and given the breathing space to replenish herself, she may forcibly reclaim it with devastating consequences to humankind.
Natalia Soebagjo
Jakarta-based writer
