COVID-19: Disaster or an Opportunity for Environmental Sustainability

Our earth is the only planet in our solar system where life is possible due to the ecological balance between atmosphere, lithosphere and hydrosphere. Our earth is inhabited by numerous varieties of plants, animals and micro-organisms besides humans. But human beings are considered as one of the most intelligent living organisms who has been exploiting the nature for his own benefit and disturbing the ecological balance of our ecosystem. Industrialization and globalization although are considered the primers in development of human civilizations but have gradually increased the carbon footprints and have generated many environmental problems like change in climate, extinction of many varieties of flora and fauna, pollution, etc. The development of science and technology has become a part and parcel of our lives today and we cannot sustain without them. The onset of corona pandemic in the world has clearly depicted the harm done by man to the environment. Clear sky, fresh air, calm surroundings, cleaner rivers, reduced waste, repairing of ozone hole, early monsoons, increase in wildlife sightings, undisturbed habitat for marine life, reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and particulate matter, etc., were some of the most visible changes noticed during the lockdown due to coronavirus which acted as an opportunity for repairing our Mother Nature. But COVID-19 pandemic has also brought many problems like unemployment, psychological problems, economic crisis, massive cuts in agriculture and fishery exports levels, generation of unrecyclable waste, rise in clinical waste, etc. The estimation of deaths due to coronavirus is difficult but according to world health organization (WHO) due to ailments caused by air pollution about 3 million people die each year which is more than the coronavirus toll to date. No doubt that the effects of the lockdown will be short-lived and economic activities resumption will again increase emission levels and it will wipe out all gains. Industries will make up their lost time by increasing production and pollution level will return to its pre-pandemic stage. Governments will face a shortage of resources to invest in clean energy which will increase the use of fossil fuels. So, need of the hour is to maintain improvements achieved due to lockdowns permanently and develop technologies that are eco friendly which can help in environmental sustainability. Some of the methods for environmental sustainability are electrification of transport, partial lockdowns in emergency situations, work from home wherever possible, use of clean energies, forests conservation, waste management, etc. No doubt, coronavirus is life threatening disaster but it has given us an opportunity to understand and differentiate between our needs and luxuries at individual levels leading to environmental sustainability at various levels such as community, state and global levels. This outbreak has given us a vision of a better future that we all want to have. COVID-19 has made people realize the harm our earth has been bearing and also the mechanism by which things can be sequenced for attaining the goals of sustainable development.