Knowledge Networking Portal for Sustainable & Responsible Tourism
Lessons from Covid-19 for the climate crisis
by Jonas Sommer
“For many, Covid-19 is the biggest crisis they have ever experienced. A lot has changed within the last few months. What lesson can we learn from all these changes to prevent the biggest crisis humanity has ever faced – the climate crisis?”
What are the differences?
“The goal of fighting Covid-19 is back to normal. Back to a life without a pandemic, to the world that people know – with free movement, vacations and consumption. If they want to stop the climate crisis, there can be no back to normal. Even if there are hopes that we can continue our lifestyle with the support of new green technology, it becomes ever clearer that this is a dream. Consumption requires resources, no matter how green something is produced. And resources are limited on this planet, while the human population keeps growing. And a lesson from the past is that green technology does not stop our hunger for resources. More energy- and resource-efficient screens and computers did not lead to less energy and resource consumption, but to bigger screens and more powerful computers, which overcompensated any savings. So, the end goal of fighting the climate crisis must be that we change our lifestyle, which will take away some freedom from individuals.
Reasons for hope
Even though there are many factors that make the fight of the climate crisis more complex than fighting Covid-19, there are definitely some positive lesson we can take away.
- Governments can act quickly in times of crisis
- Many people are solidary during hardships
- Governments and people are willing to put health before the economy
- If the pressure is high enough, authorities are willing to make funds available at a large scale
- People accept quick & strict measures, if they understand the objective and approach
- Governments can step up and lead in times of crisis
The author concludes: “Lastly, we have to emphasize the positive aspects. Instead of telling people what the cannot do anymore, we have to paint a picture of a brighter future. A future with intact nature, clean air and cities designed for people, not cars. A future, in which we do not constantly have to think about which species will disappear next, which country will suffer from a famine and which city will drown in a rising ocean.”
ECOTRANS comment:
The Covid-19 pandemic “forces” us to focus our vacation and holiday making in 2020 to the closer destinations for recreation, nature and culture experience: at home, in the own country, in "safe" countries in Europe. IF travelling – THEN sustainably is possible: just search the Green Travel Maps for certified hotels and camping sites, destinations and tour operators in your country.
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| Concerned URL | https://wilderness-society.org/lessons-from-the-corona-virus-for-the-climate-crisis/ |
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| Source | Wilderness Society |
| Keywords | climate change, covid-19 |
| Target group(s) | Travellers , Education, Research, Consultancy , NGOs, Partnerships, Networks , Governments & Administrations |
| Topics | Climate Change - Energy and Resource Efficiency , Cultural Heritage, Life Styles & Diversity , Good Governance & CSR |
