Lessons from coronavirus: can new perspective help us achieve net zero carbon?
Tanya Lloyd-Jones, Technical Director for Sustainability, reflects on what the coronavirus pandemic has taught us, and the new perspective that may pave the way to net zero carbon.
The rate of change we have witnessed across global society in recent weeks has been extraordinary. The unprecedented circumstances brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic have forced an almost instant change to our living and working habits. What we have seen is behavioural change at a global scale.
Health – or survival - has become the number one priority and anything non-essential has immediately taken a back seat. Put in fight or flight mode, in just a few short weeks businesses across the UK and Ireland have adopted technology, embraced flexible working and reformed whole service offerings at a rate that just last month may have seemed impossible. And while the circumstances are harrowing, the results have been inspiring.
With a new perspective, our understanding of what’s possible has changed rapidly.
Net Zero Carbon may require a ‘new normal’, but recent weeks have demonstrated that change is achievable and perhaps a lot quicker than we think.
Tanya Lloyd Jones
Technical Director
How could this help us achieve net zero carbon?
Achieving net zero carbon will require radical behavioural change in the way we live, work, produce and consume. The scale of change required is huge and everyone has a role to play; from individuals making more sustainable purchasing or travel decisions, to large organisations making significant operational changes and the government passing legislation to enable it all. As a challenge it can feel daunting.
Yet in just a matter of weeks, together we have proved it is possible. As countries around the world have gone into lockdown, the environment is recovering.
Levels of nitrogen dioxide in the atmosphere have plunged as traffic and industry emissions have reduced. In the UK, some cities including London have seen a fall in nitrogen oxide levels of over 40% on the same period last year, as reported in ENDS. Biodiversity is also recovering with wildlife returning to the world-famous Venice canals as the cruise ships and motorized boats that usually populate them are moored. Additionally, with less noise pollution being emitted during the lockdown, and humans confined to their homes, reports are emerging from across the globe of animals - including monkeys, coyotes and mountain goats - making forays into towns and cities.
Of course the lockdown restrictions are not sustainable or desirable in the longer term. We will win the fight against this virus and society will be safe to return to normal. But perhaps when we do, it will be with a new perspective on change.
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