By Neval Mulaomerovic
Before COVID-19 sent the world into a tailspin, climate change was the concern defining this generation. It seemed as though every other week there was a new story related to climate change, whether it was extreme weather in the form of tornadoes or the Australian wildfires. Though concern about these events have been largely swept to the side as a result of the greater focus toward the pandemic, climate change has not gone away.
Many reports are praising the largest annual drop in carbon dioxide emissions in history as a result of the pandemic. This is largely a result of lifestyle changes that come with lockdowns, such as decreased airplane travel and fewer cars on the road. However, The Guardian finds that global CO2 emissions will likely decrease by only 5.5 percent this year, whereas a United Nations report estimates that we must cut emissions by 7.6 percent per year over the next ten years to have any chance at putting a dent in climate change. Though individual actions and modified habits have been praised as a way to make a difference, the lifestyle changes around the globe that come with a life-altering pandemic still fall short. This is especially concerning seeing how these broad-scale lifestyle changes are entirely temporary and will be undone soon as more countries and states begin to restart their economies.
If individual action has proven yet again that it is an insufficient solution to the greatest threat to humanity, the answer lies with the industries that have been to blame for decades. TheCarbon Majors Report finds that over 70 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions from 1988 to 2017 have been the product of just 100 companies. This pandemic is a rare chance to restructure the economy in a way that provides the institutional change necessary to address climate change, which includes investment in green technology and weaning industries off of fossil fuels. With the proper government response, industries could be coerced into turning toward clean energy in exchange for receiving funds from the bailout. Better yet, skip bailing out industries that are disastrous for the climate altogether rather than funneling billions to airlines and buying up hundreds of million of barrels of oil to keep these companies—which are still turning profits—afloat.
Unless structural change takes place, individual action will not be enough to save the planet. Though most people are locked up inside with different worries, the damage to our environment is not going away. Everyone is excited to be able to enjoy the fresh air for more than 30 minutes per day after this lockdown is over, but that fresh air may not even be an option.
