By Asitha Jayawardena

Coronavirus and climate change. One is weeks and months; the other, years and decades.

But, isn’t the action on coronavirus help climate change? It surely does!

Here are the helpful tips that coronavirus can give to battle of climate change.

People ‘move’ from global village to the taste of localisation with closed borders

Coronavirus outbreak has placed its people into their own countries. For example, British government have requested that all its people come to the British soil from all around the world. Another is India’s 1.3 billion people move into self-isolation for three weeks. With borders closed, people tend to get a taste of localisation, enjoying their own company and this is the sustainability at its best.

International trade falls to new low

With borders closed, international trade would come to a standstill and only goods that must be gone through would go. In that respect, when Australian apples would not come into the UK, the British apples would be used here. Moreover, this development will drastically reduce food miles too.

Reduce emissions due to industry shut downs and air travel restrictions

Only the essential of the product lines in the industry will go ahead and the air travel would be limited, with people stranded in the ground in many countries. That way, carbon dioxide emissions will be reduced and this is the most effective way to battle climate change.

Air quality improves with emission reduction

When China reduced emissions in terms of factory shutdowns and, later the flights were reduced, the concentration of nitrogen oxide was reduced as well. Therefore, the air quality was improved as a result. What’s more, agriculture would also benefit as a result of this. That is a positive point of climate change while air quality improvement is good for the society as well.

Low oil prices make it harder to compete and easier to cut subsidies

The demand for the fossil fuels such as oil is low and the price is fast decreasing, sometimes as much as ten dollars a barrel. Moreover, the price war with Saudi Arabia and Russia has cut even prices further. That way, it’s more difficult to maintain the subsidies and the green energy such as wind, solar, tides and hydropower will stand a better chance in the energy sector.

Climate change is not a distant problem

The coronavirus issue as well as climate change is not a problem in the future. Both are problems at present and we are dealing with them right now although climate change is not dealt with as coronavirus crisis. That’s why, at the beginning of this article, coronavirus is weeks and months and climate change is years and decades. At the end of this year, this coronavirus crisis is dealt with (to get ready for only next one) but climate change, we have to tackle!