So, we know that coronavirus has been having a positive impact on the environment. We’ve seen the gorgeous images of dolphins coming into now quiet docks in Istanbul, and kangaroos jumping down usually busy streets in Australia, but there is now concern that people are less active in the climate change battle because of the positive impact Covid-19 has had. It’s taken cars off the roads, boats out of the oceans and reduced the amount of fossil fumes we are consuming, so has coronavirus made our efforts obsolete?
Unfortunately, the proof is in the temperature. As May’s temperatures last month tie at the current highest on record, it proves that we still need to do more. Yes, coronavirus has helped the Earth, but it is not enough.
Even during a global pandemic we can still think of ways to ensure that we are being as environmentally friendly as possible; use a washable cloth mask instead of buying disposable ones, recycle packaging correctly, and limit the amount of fast-fashion we consume. There are countless ways to aid climate change, even if they feel insignificant to you on the large scale of the world.
These are global problems, but we can see the effects right here in our communities. Qarn Al-Alam station recorded 50.1 degrees Celsius on the 6th of June, which is the highest temperature recorded in the wilayats of the Sultanate. These rising temperatures are forcing ice sheets to melt, which will mean rising sea levels. By 2050, sea levels are expected to rise between 1 and 2.3 feet as the ice sheets melts.
These concerning figures tell us that we can’t be complacent in thinking that Coronavirus is doing our job for us. We must continue to be active in our fight against climate change. Let’s get it!