Pandemics can cause economic damage through multiple channels, including short-term fiscal shocks and longer-term negative shocks to economic growth (Madhav et al., 2017). In countries with weak institutions and legacies of political instability, pandemics can increase political stresses and tensions. In these contexts, outbreak response measures such as quarantines have sparked violence and tension between states and citizens. (Madhav et al., 2017).
Although, this pandemic has caused a significant amount of damage to our world, is this pandemic the silver lining for the climate?
Green gas emissions have gone down, coal use has gone down, clearer bodies of water, air quality has gone up. Several news articles have been talking about how covid-19 is helping our environment.
Although there are some small changes to the environment, they are all temporary fixes to our environment and will quickly change back once the world starts returning back to the usual. This pandemic will also result in significant increases in medical and hazardous waste. Fossil fuel use would have to decline by about 10 percent around the world and would need to be sustained for a year to show up clearly in carbon dioxide levels (Monroe, 2020).
Although we won’t see direct and significant changes to our environment, this could be an eye opener to many citizens of Canada. We need to realize our lives depend on a healthy planet and a healthier planet will mean fewer diseases.
Living in a small town, this pandemic really showed me what the word community really means. I think this pandemic has changed our world in the sense of how to work as a community, and hopefully when this pandemic is over, the world will change, and we will all continue to work as a community. When someone needs a lending hand, you lend a hand to them, when someone cannot make it out to get groceries, you offer to go and drop them off at their door.
Being self-isolated has also taught me to appreciate my family and friends. I cannot wait to go and give my family a hug when this is all over. I hope our world changes, and everyone learns to appreciate those around them.
Image retrieved from: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/map-watch-how-covid-19-traveled-the-world