Nature Change During pandemic

Is Mother Earth Healing Herself?

We have been awestruck, dumbfounded and terrified by the way a "simple" virus has been

attacking the humans, which first broke out in Wuhan, a city in Hubei province of China, around December 2019.

Saying it "simple" because we never pondered we would be needing protection from a virus in

such a huge scale. We were worried about things much bigger, like the nuclear weapons and

stock market falls, but never in our wildest dream did we think a virus could do much massive

harm to humanity.In the last four months, the virus has spread to more than 180 countries and territories , and have taken over 70,000 lives.  

Still I would say that, "The virus has helped Earth with clean air and water, among other

benefits".Being indoors has made us all realise just how great and the great outdoors are. And

perhaps this Earth Day, how we should be a little kinder to our home planet Earth. Here’s how

you staying at home during the coronavirus is making our planet heal:

● carbon output could fall by more than 5% this year - the first run since a 1.4% reduction

after the 2008 financial crisis.

● Not only is the air cleaner , it’s quieter and calmed too. The lack of public transport,

people on the road and rush hour commute means that our ears aren’t getting better, we

are just hearing a lot more than before. From the rustling of leaves to the chirping of

birds, decibel levels have amazingly dropped. Decibel readings at a busy intersection

were 90 before pandemic but recently measured at just 68.

● The water quality has improved itself as well. In Venice, famous for its canals,

waterways are benefiting from the lessening of usual boat traffic brought on by

thousands of visitors. In India too pictures of a cleaner River Ganga as well as Varanasi

have appeared.

● From the otters in Singapore to the goats in Wales and deer in Japan to the orcas in

North America, while we may have lockdown restrictions, wildlife has been using this

lack of human spreading to venture out of their own territories safely.

Now if we look forward at the world we see a better place. But excluding the pandemic effect

how has nature improved itself? Let's take a look!

As scoring temperatures continue to break records across Europe, unpredicted wildfires break

out in the Arctic, and polar sea ice cover drops—again—to an all-time low, never before has the

climate crisis been so palpable, for so many people.

The increasing intensity and frequency of climate extremes impacts life on earth in huge

number. Ocean and terrestrial ecosystems, which we all depend on, are equally damaged, as is

our planet’s capacity to sustain our growing needs.

But just as climate extremes exacerbate land degradation processes across the globe,

“Sustainable land management can contribute to reducing the negative impacts of multiple

stressors, including climate change, on ecosystems and humanities”. Several solutions can be

used to provide some relief in the short, medium and long term.

● Using nature’s healing power

Agriculture, forestry and other land use account for 24% of greenhouse gas emissions,

as per to the Panel’s 2014 Fifth Assessment Report. Agroforestry, reforestation and

afforestation programmes, specially in tropical regions, can go a long way towards

reducing land degradation and act as carbon sinks, thereby both mitigating and helping

ecosystems cope with a changing climate. These nature-based solutions, which feature

a holistic approach to land use by leveraging the existing resources nature has in stock,

allowing us to make use of the planet’s intrinsic restorative capacity.

● Protecting vulnerable carbon sinks

Similarly, a warmer climate is associated with higher greenhouse gas emissions through

permafrost thawing and deforestation, among others, so protecting and reserving

peatlands and other vulnerable carbon sinks is critical to slowing the release of

greenhouse gases from these natural sources. The more we wait, the more severe the

risks.

Current levels of global warming are magnified by increased water scarcity, soil erosion,

vegetation loss, wildfire damage, permafrost thawing, coastal degradation and crop yield

declines, says the report.

● Harnessing the power of collective action

As governments take note and communities, international organizations and

agribusiness act to implement society-wide transformation to rapidly shift to sustainable

food production and land use, we, as individuals also need to do our part.

With a staggering 25 to 30% of food produced being lost or wasted, better post-harvest

practices, storage, transportation and consumer education are needed to address food

waste.

There are other ways individuals can do their part: through everyday choices, we can

contribute to reduce our extra use of water, switch to a more sustainable diet based on

plants and reduce our consumption of non-reusable, toxic products, such as single-use

plastics that are choking and polluting the planet’s ecosystems and circle.

There will be no silver bullet to solve this man-made tragedy, but there is hope in that, by acting

fast and at all levels of society, we will be able to get back at least part of the unfolding disaster