Covid and Climate Crisis - Fire Drill Fridays

15th Sep 2020

Covid-19 (discovered 2019) has been a human tragedy, but we would be foolish not to take lessons from this pandemic.  If the World leaders were able to use their collective intelligence, they would realise the importance of acting globally, learn from this 2020 response and apply those lessons, particularly where it failed, to future pandemics.  There should be a realisation of the importance of a global response to any potential global disaster.  If they are not willing to just act for the common good, perhaps the collective intelligence of the electorate they serve could use their collective consumer power to nudge the Leaders in the right direction.  

As bad as Covid has been, it is not difficult to imagine a virus that has worse effects, incubates for longer in asymptomatic hosts, that are contagious i.e. shedding virus. It is also conceivable that the virus could have a greater mortality in the symptomatic phase. When the planet is faced a Science problem, it may be an old fashioned view, but it should address those problems with Science solutions.   Without question, when it comes to a pandemic (a global outbreak of disease), the World Health Organisation should have primacy.  The WHO should be given the power to lead, and have a mandate to set directives for each Country to abide by.  With the more wealthy countries assisting the poorer ones, if for no other reason than that it will shorten the pain for all.  

Looking for any positive, one potential glimmer of a greater good, is that this episode in modern human history could engage people and, in turn Governments, with Science.  There may be a wider realisation that Science problems need to be solved by Science solutions.  The Climate crisis was already upon us, and the Science (with 97% agreement) says that to avoid passing a tipping point (the point where humans can do nothing to affect the prognosis of an uninhabitable planet) we have to half our fossil fuel emissions by 2030.  This is achievable but only with considerable effort and the most influential Countries pulling in the same direction.

‘“Our House Is On Fire”, and we need to act like it”,  “There is no Planet B”, there are many phrases that capture the imagination and make us think about our predicament, but we need more than that fleeting thought.  Please check out Fire Drill Fridays, join over a Million people in an education  https://firedrillfridays.com/events/  have your minds challenged and be able to talk with more authority on Environmental issues.