How the Covid-19 crisis could accelerate climate change action

A common theme in current communication from governments around the world is that, when it comes to the Covid-19 crisis, the health of people comes first, and then the health of the economy. This priority status is something that climate change action has been designated, at least until now.

Choruses of governments are basing Covid-19 policy and action on the advice of leading scientists. Imagine if our global response to climate change was formed on the same basis. Scientists are already loudly warning about the consequences of not acting now to slow down climate change. Maybe the Covid-19 crisis will mark a turning point in how seriously the scientific evidence will define and prioritise policy and action. Considering the fact that epidemic experts have been advising us to prepare for a major outbreak for the last 15 years, and that we are clearly unprepared, suggests that we should revisit the advice on climate change with more attention. We have an opportunity to apply the value of hindsight gained from the Covid-19 crisis to the climate change crisis, which has potentially far greater consequences but is playing out at a speed that seems to prevent us from seeing it as an emergency.

If there is one good thing that comes from the Covid-19 crisis, it could be that we listen to the scientists and put the health of people and the planet ahead of economic health. We are currently frogs in slowly boiling water, but we could hop out and turn off the gas.