COVID-19: Saviour of the environment?
While the whole world is plagued with coronavirus, nature is returning to its glorious self. As people stay home and venture out less, the earth is becoming more livable in a sense. This unexpected event is changing the face of the entire world.
The Covid-19 lockdown has restricted industrial output, traffic on roads, air travel as well as unnecessary movement of people. Vehicle-free roads, airplane-free skies, widespread shutdown of brick kilns and factories have reduced the demand for electricity, natural gas and water drastically. Two recent studies in the AGU journal, Geophysical Letters, found that nitrogen dioxide pollution over northern China, Western Europe and the United States reduced by 60% compared to the corresponding period time last year. No previous pandemic, disaster, recession or war has been able to reduce carbon dioxide emissions so dramatically in the last few decades as Covid-19 has been able to do in just a few months.
Red crabs that play a significant role in the ecosystem appear ashore in Kuakata and Gangamati points. They are reclaiming the beach from where they were evicted, after a long time.
Environmentalists are speculating that people all over the world are now living through an incredible drop in carbon emission. This event will cause a massive fall this year, the emission of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere which is warming our planet will not stabilise until the world reaches net zero. Major changes in climate have been observed in the southern hemisphere. A giant hole in the ozone layer has completely healed. This layer of the atmosphere is gradually becoming normal by repairing the damages of pollution. As a result, scientists think earth’s environment and the inhabitants will be protected from major environmental risks.
Lockdown has brought about amazing changes in nature in different countries. Bangladesh is no exception. Cox’s Bazar, Saint Martin’s has seen a dramatic alteration in nature due to decrease in fishing and tourism. Pink dolphins have already been spotted in the waters closer to the beaches. A group of dolphins were playing in the blue water of the sea. Local people said, such a rare sight had not been seen in the last three decades. The Bay of Bengal is becoming a sanctuary for 407 species of fish, including 36 species of shrimp. Seaweed, grass and wildflowers are spreading over the through the sand of the beach.
Red crabs that play a significant role in the ecosystem appear ashore in Kuakata and Gangamati points. They are reclaiming the beach from where they were evicted, after a long time. According to experts, this time the breeding of turtles will be better. Large numbers of turtles are occupying St. Martin's island. They are coming, wandering around, resting and laying eggs again. There is no one to stop them. Moreover, there is a good chance of seeing a variety of marine animals like sea-hogs, Irrawaddy dolphins and more.
Tanguar Haor, the wetland rich in biodiversity, plays an important role in the fish production of Bangladesh and acts as a mother fishery of the country from which the government receives good annual revenue. It is also a large sanctuary for millions of birds, including migratory ducks. Every year thousands of tourists gather here to enjoy watching the migratory birds. A good number of tourists hunt birds illegally.
Currently, there is no fishing and no overflow of tourists. The birds are getting a chance to spend time in peace and have the opportunity to reproduce peacefully. Birds like crows, shrikes, bulbuls and spring birds will start building their nests. Before building a nest and starting a family, birds must prepare a lot. So, they will also get a very good environment now.
Corona may not last forever, but this tiny microbe has taught the whole world a great lesson. It just means that we are constantly destroying the environment for our way of life.
The stench of the Brahmaputra and Hatirjheel water has been greatly reduced due to the obstruction of free movement of people. These waterways were previously plagued by pollution. Dhaka city once known as the most polluted city in Bangladesh is experiencing rapid improvement in air quality. Air pollution levels are dropping to a record low.
The slightest change in the way we live can make a huge difference in the global environment. In this regard, Professor Dr. Mohammad Al-Amin from the Institute of Forestry and Environmental Sciences, University of Chittagong said, “Mankind is facing a terrible situation where in one hand corona is acting as a kind of threat to civilisation. On the other hand, the positive effects of corona on the environment have been observed. In the post-corona period, people must realise that human civilisation is under threat because of their previous reckless behaviour. So, our next move should be environment friendly and give the environment a chance to heal on its own. In this way mankind and the environment will move forward through a beautiful combination that will save civilisation from such pandemics in future, we believe”.
Corona may not last forever, but this tiny microbe has taught the whole world a great lesson. It just means that we are constantly destroying the environment for our way of life. Even if we don’t do that, our life will not stop. After the lockdown, people will run again to make up for their past economic losses but this should not be environmentally destructive. We need to achieve our goals by maintaining a friendly relationship with the environment and now everyone should be aware of this so that the world does not have to face such a terrible situation in future.
Mohammad Rifat is a student of environmental science at the Institute of Forestry and Environmental Sciences, University of Chittagong