The COVID-19 Fallout: A Perusal 

The COVID-19 catastrophe, touching every corner of the globe, has brought about a paradigm shift in the daily life of a common man. Lockdowns all over the world have been imposed, having colossal effect on the global economy, society and drawing severe political consequences. As some countries like, China, South Korea and Iran are moving forward towards "flattening the curve" of number of cases, many others like the US, Italy, Spain, Russia and India still stay under the dreadful spell of rising cases. However, to save their economies from further damage, certain countries have started easing out restrictions with cautious measures. It maybe be time for some countries to start "learning to live with the virus".

The lockdown gave us a once in a lifetime opportunity to introspect and the nature to heal. Several cases of clear water bodies, better than ever air quality have emerged. It has indeed been a blessing in disguise. However, the tentative state of the nature is found to go once the world starts to restore their economic activities. It is imperative at this to do an in depth analysis of how we can preserve this state of environment.

We now look at some countries of Asia, with the highest number of cases, analysing the state of the environment amid the COVD-19 fallout.

1. China:

After a severe spur of cases, China is seemingly back on track with only 208 active cases (as of 9 May 2020). The epicentre of the Virus, the city of Wuhan has also lifted its lockdown restrictions. China has been a large polluter of carbon and as the lockdowns had been imposed, the pollution levels had reduced drastically. 

However, positive sights of the lockdown on the environment might be quickly reversed back in China. Greenpeace China reported that levels of nitrogen dioxide and PM2.5 were not only high but were higher than last years April records as well.  The concentration of these were mostly mapped over the sites of chemical, steel and cement plants. 

2. India: 

India currently has the largest number of active cases in Asia. The country saw a massive rise in cases since late March and has been on lockdown ever since. Though the lockdown has been eased in phases, a lot of risk awaits as India partakes its economic activities. There were several reports of how air pollution has come down exponentially. Aerosol levels over the Indo-Gangetic plains have plummeted to a ’20 year low’. Reports of the Himalayan ranges being visible from several towns in India added to the cause of lowered air pollution. Rivers like Yamuna and Gaga have also seen one of it cleanest phases ever.

While a little is known as to when things will restore economically in India, with the eased lockdown there has seemed to be a spike in the particulate matter. 

3. Pakistan: 

Pakistan also emerges as one of the countries with the highest active cases in real time. The economic implications of the pandemic are going to be severe in Pakistan, leaving several jobless. When we talk about the environment, a improvement has been seen in the air of Pakistan. The environmentalist however warn that this triumph is only temporary.

4. South Korea:

A model of success when it comes to contact tracing, South Korea is leading the way. Having significantly reduced the active cases, the country has shown effective use of contact tracing and preventing itself to enter the ‘community transmission’ phase. South Korea is also a high polluter of CO₂ and the pandemic has pushed the air quality levels into a positive direction despite never really going into an actual lockdown.

With the aim to tackle COVID-19, the Democratic Party of the country is looking forward to embrace a European-style Green New Deal to reach net zero emissions by 2050. This deal shall look into recovery post coronavirus outbreak, though measures such as  introducing carbon tax, a requirement to end investment in coal, and a focus on investment in renewable energy sources, as well as a hydrogen strategy.

The Coronavirus outbreak despite being a bleak reality of today might show how the future would look with less air pollution. On the other hand, the anticipated economic recession that is bound to set in may just bring about heightened scale of the challenges ahead. As to what we can do to prevent a desolate future, the governments, the businessmen and the common man will have to look at things differently to hold onto the temporary improvement in the state of the environment. Or else, all of this is just a lost cause.