Is COVID a Game-Changer? How the Pandemic Could Result in a Greener Future
As the world continues to fight a global pandemic, leaders around the world are scrambling to find ways to mitigate its worst effects. They are simultaneously being pressured to cope with the virus’ impact on public health and bringing life back to normal in a safe and timely fashion. Additionally, as carbon emissions fell drastically in the first weeks of the pandemic, there is pressure to take long-term action to ensure that this trend is permanent by encouraging a revolutionary shift away from fossil fuels towards renewable sources of energy.
As the COVID-19 outbreak has disrupted daily life for millions, many are seeing the virus as an opportunity to change people’s habits. One of these individuals, Wendy Wood, a professor at the University of Southern California, says there is a chance to permanently change our society by taking better care of the environment. In a poll of 16 countries, respondents were asked whether environmental protection should be a priority as their governments attempt to recover from COVID-19. In 15 of those countries, including here in the United States, over 60% said yes. Already we are seeing a response to this push for a greener, more sustainable globe. Recently, the European Union (EU) unveiled a plan to become carbon-free by 2050. While this target date is still past 2030, the year many experts say is the deadline to avoid a climate catastrophe, the EU’s financial commitment backing up their plan is still somewhat impressive, as €750 billion is being proposed with the aim of eliminating the EU’s dependency on fossil fuels.
In addition to serving as a call to action for the EU, COVID is also proving to be a thorn in the side of one particular leader in South America—Brazil’s Jair Bolsonaro. This could have massive implications for climate change and the political situation in Brazil. A friend of agribusiness, he has weakened laws regarding deforestation in the Amazon, a crucial absorber of carbon dioxide. Long known for inviting controversy, Bolsonaro has drawn criticism from home and abroad for his poor response to the coronavirus, the result being a precipitous rise in disapproval ratings for both himself and his administration. The number of total cases in the country has skyrocketed in recent weeks, passing one million on June 20 and now totaling close to two million. Despite this, Bolsonaro is yet to treat the virus as the threat to health and public safety that it is and has opposed a bill making the wearing of masks mandatory in public spaces. Such actions have caused disagreements with two health ministers, both of whom have resigned from their posts as a result of Bolsonaro’s lack of response to the virus.
As he continued to disregard the advice of the scientific community, the approval ratings of both him and his government have experienced a significant decline. In January, 31% of respondents polled said that the Brazilian government was “bad” or “awful.” In May that number had risen to 43.4%, while the approval rating for Bolsonaro himself dropped by over eight points in the same time period, from 47.8% to 39.2%. The public was shown to disagree with the government’s handling of the coronavirus, particularly its lax social distancing measures, with 67.3% of respondents saying social distancing was necessary. If these low numbers persist into 2022 when Brazilians will decide who they want as president, this pandemic could end up having profound implications for future generations.
Whether Bolsonaro wins or loses come the next election is about more than the coronavirus. During Bolsonaro’s presidency, there has been practically no action on climate change on the part of the government, as Bolsonaro instead cut budgets, reduced staff, and allowed loggers to venture into the Amazon largely unchecked. In 2019, loggers cut down a portion of the rainforest the size of Lebanon as deforestation increased by 30% since 2018. Carlos Nobre, a climate scientist working for the University of São Paolo, has commented on the gravity of the situation. “Law enforcement has reached its minimum effectiveness in a decade. It is a worrying warning for the future.”
While it is indeed worrying, such warnings have been brushed aside by Brazil’s current administration. Bolsonaro has positioned himself as an ally to agribusiness, which represents a quarter of the country’s GDP and whose millionaires see the potential to add millions more to their profits. Fires and deforestation in the Amazon released between 115 and 150 million tons of carbon dioxide to be released in 2019. If Bolsonaro is to win reelection, the Amazon could reach a tipping point from which there is no coming back.
However, his reelection is not a certainty. With the coronavirus currently wrecking both the Brazilian economy and Bolsonaro’s approval ratings, it is quite possible that unless there is a change in the country’s situation by 2022, that he is to lose if he decides to seek reelection. If he is to be replaced by a more left-wing successor, one who cares about the environment and takes serious action to halt the damage being done to the Amazon, then preventing a climate catastrophe will become much more possible. However, keeping this planet inhabitable for future generations is not something that can be achieved by Brazil alone. Every country must take action and end its dependence on fossil fuels. For years countries have ignored the problem and allowed it to get worse. With COVID now ravaging the planet, things may finally change. World leaders are finally doing something to prevent the impending catastrophe and those who don’t may soon be voted out.