How could COVID-19 pandemic affect climate change

Our intern Kateřina Šubová explores, in her latest blog, the question of "How could COVID-19 pandemic affect climate change?".

If Covid-19 has led to anything, it’s an increased focus on public health. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), not only does air pollution kill an estimated seven million people worldwide every year, EPHA (European Public Health Alliance) shows that air pollution makes COVID-19 more fatal. The financial upside as well as the public health benefit to decreasing air pollution cannot be overstated.

The European Union is closing its external borders and most Member States have already closed their national borders to prevent further spreading of the virus. It is obvious that in the upcoming period, emphasis will be placed on national decision-making but this crisis shows that no state can resolve this health crisis alone; in a globalized and increasingly interconnected world, international cooperation should be promoted, especially when it comes to preparedness for climate risks that are still evolving and will not wait while we are struggling with the pandemic. Dealing with the pandemic does not exclude carbon neutrality, and one should not be dealt with at the expense of the other.

Link to the whole article is here.

EUROPEUM COVID-19
Publications, events and other activities concerning the pandemic and its consequences