As the world comes to a standstill due to the coronavirus crisis, an unexpected silver lining to the cloud of Covid-19 has emerged: slowly, surely, nature is benefitting from the global slow-down.
The lockdown in Italy, for instance, has meant that key tourist spots including the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Colosseum have been empty for weeks. In Venice, where spring is peak time for meandering the canals – the 117 islands set in the Venetian lagoon can usually expect around 700,000 tourists at this time of year – the waterways are empty. But, while the impact on the Italian tourism industry is set to be brutal, all hope is not lost: in recent weeks, fish have been seen swimming in the now-clear blue Venetian waters, and fauna and wildlife are now visible to the naked eye. And, with the reduction in boat traffic, dolphins are being spotted again in the port of Cagliari, in Sardinia.
Global travel limitations have also meant that some cities are experiencing a sharp drop in pollution. Many countries have advised that natives self-isolate and avoid any unnecessary journeys. Naturally, this has meant that carbon emissions from cars have rapidly reduced since the start of 2020. The month of May is usually points to a rise in global emissions due to the decomposition of leaves, but research has shown that it is likely CO2 output could hit an all-time low.
China has been the hardest hit throughout the pandemic and, though it’s likely they may want to make up for their losses in the coming months and ramp up production and manufacturing, leading to spike in energy use, studies showed that the country had reduced its output by 25 per cent – which makes up for around one per cent of its annual carbon emissions.
Nature has no doubt benefitted from the slow-down and many scientists and climate campaigners are hoping that governments will see this as a stepping stone to combatting climate change. It isn’t necessarily an easy move, but the positive impacts serve as proof that, amidst all the damage we are doing to the planet, the future is somewhat salvageable.
Previously published on British Vogue
Editor
Alice CaryCredit
Header image: Massimo Bertolini/NurPhoto via Getty Images
