Page 22 - Berita Sunway - Issue 69

COVID-19 FEATURES
BUILDING

A NEW

(SUSTAINABLE)

NORMAL

FOR THE

ENVIRONMENT

The pandemic has given us a preview of how Mother Nature
can flourish amid lockdowns. Now we need to apply the
lessons learnt for a more sustainable future

n the wake of COVID-19, images of empty Local wildlife such as green turtles began Just as swift protective efforts by governments
streets, deserted tourist attractions and returning to the shores of Port Dickson in can slow down the rate of COVID-19 infections
Ighost towns worldwide began emerging Negeri Sembilan to lay eggs during the MCO – and keep people safe within the healthcare
online – scenes reminiscent of a post- a telltale sign of nature taking its course in the system capacity, prioritising environmental
apocalyptic era where humankind has gone silence of human activity. sustainability can lessen climate risks and keep
extinct. society within the earth’s capacity of natural
BACK TO BUSINESS AS USUAL? resources, UNDP noted.
Without a vaccine at hand and limited test However, as Malaysia and other countries begin
kits across many countries, WHO had called to ease lockdowns as they enter recovery mode The pandemic has also shown that society
on people around the world to contain the of the pandemic, will it be a return to business can shift its behavior, as seen with the
virus spread through social distancing and as usual for the environment? mass adoption of WFH arrangements. With
quarantine. Amid widespread lockdowns digital communication tools, businesses can
worldwide, daily global carbon emissions Observers warn that prioritising the reevaluate the necessity for business travels
dropped by 17% compared to 2019, according to environment may end up taking a backseat as that may help minimise our carbon footprint.
Nature Climate Change research journal. businesses and governments ramp up to make
up for lost time. Climate change can increase the intensity of
Closer to home, the MCO in Malaysia led to a disease around the world, as the disruption of
43% reduction in the total amount of rubbish “We still have the same cars, the same roads, ecosystems can create conducive environments
extracted from the Klang River. According to the same industries, same houses… So as soon for new disease outbreaks. As such, COVID-19
Landasan Lumayan, the company mandated to as the restrictions are released, we go right should be a wake-up call to recognise the
revive the Klang River, from March 15 to April back to where we were,” said Corinne Le Quéré, earth’s limits and operate within them.
15, 580 metric tonnes of rubbish was collected Professor of Climate Change at the University
under the Selangor Maritime Gateway project, of East Anglia in the UK, in a June 18 article in
compared to an average of 900 to 1,200 metric National Geographic. The months
tonnes per month over the last six months. of respite from human
Minimising the movement of people and One thing is for sure – just as life will never activities have revealed the
business operations had helped the river heal, be the same again post-pandemic, the way we environment’s pristine nature
the company said. do business too must follow suit, or we risk with cleaner rivers, clearer skies
damaging the environment on an even larger and congestion-free roads and
The Malaysian Environment and Water Ministry scale than before. highways. These could spur a ‘new
said the country’s Air Pollutant Index decreased normal’ public awareness and
by 14% to record a “clean index”, while more LESSONS TO BE LEARNT demand for a cleaner and
than 25% of 29 automatic water monitoring The United Nations Development Programme greener environment.
stations across the country recorded a real-time (UNDP) Malaysia office highlighted three
improvement in water quality. takeaways from the world’s response to the

With less vehicles on the road, the ministry pandemic that can be applied to the climate said Professor Yeah Kim Leng, Professor of
crisis – flattening the climate curve, an
reported carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide opportunity for behavioral change and staying Economics at Sunway University Business
levels dropping by 49% and 70% respectively within planetary boundaries. School and Director of the Economic Studies
from March 18 to 31, compared to the pre-MCO Programme at the Jeffrey Cheah Institute on
period. Southeast Asia.

22 | BERITA SUNWAY | JUL—SEP 2020