In the shadow of the corona pandemic, the polar bears continue to melt. Photo: Melissa Bradley, Unsplash

Chronicle

The climate crisis does not take a break during the pandemic

We are in a crisis, a pandemic and an everyday life with many changes in life. Covid-19 requires measures to keep societies afloat, but unfortunately the need for crisis management does not stop there. One crisis does not take a break, even though we are busy with another.

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We are in a crisis, a pandemic and an everyday life with many changes in life. Covid-19 requires measures to keep societies afloat, but unfortunately the need for crisis management does not stop there. One crisis does not take a break, even though we are busy with another.

The climate crisis is still present and acute. According to Red Cross and Red Crescent investigation report World Disasters Report 2020 Weather and climate-related disasters have claimed more than 410 lives in the last decade. During the first six months of the corona pandemic (calculated from March), more than 000 disasters affected more than 100 million people. The call in the report is clear - we must act now.

During an ongoing pandemic, it may seem premature to draw lessons from the situation. However, I believe that there is experience and knowledge to take note of in climate work. Having seen how the world has handled the pandemic, it is clear that crises must be addressed by a united front. 

There are countless examples of how crisis management has divided countries. The split is evident, for example, in the worldwide debate on being or non-being of the face mask, where the truth content of the research becomes a watershed. It also strikes a chord between people through political decisions with unfair outcomes, such as the distribution of financial aid packages to farmers in the United States. The segregating effect of crisis measures is also recalled in Bulgaria, where it was established border controls around Roma settlements to prevent the spread of infection. 

The corona pandemic offers knowledge about pitfalls that human behavior often creates in crisis situations. The crisis shows how prone we are to be suspicious, ignore the needs of certain sections of society and rely on prejudiced explanations based on, for example, ethnicity.

That all social groups must be made to feel heard when political decisions are made about crisis measures is also addressed in the report. In it, the importance of participation and inclusion of minority groups and local communities in the decision-making processes for various climate programs and initiatives is emphasized. Otherwise, the risk risks growing large, as with The yellow veststhe demonstrations in France and protests against taxes on plastic bags worldwide.

It is impossible for everyone to be satisfied with the investments in the climate, but cultivating a sense of justice and consideration is important. In order not to fall head over heels in the face of the climate crisis, we must use the knowledge we gain from the pandemic - everyone must be on the train to a prosperous planet.

 

This is a chronicle. The author is responsible for analysis and opinions in the text.

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