COVID-19 and Pollution Trends

[davitchen]

After seeing a couple of videos about the correlation between Nitrogen and Carbon dioxide concentrations and the COVID-19 implications' in industries, I was wondering what would follow up next the pandemy.

Do you think the production and this crazy pollution chart will raise again as before or that the governments learnt something from this inhibition on the global-scale economy?

[pe7erpark3r]

They have to. Our economies have not changed, everything was just interrupted. If they don't restart, we have a much bigger problem. You need to be aware, that the effect of global warming is a bit of land under over a few hundred years... we can deal with that. While of course we'll have to reduce pollution, but not in the kind of rush, that Covid-19 made us do it...

Because the effect of the economy going down is civil war. Ergo the reduction in pollution must occur slowly, over a few decades. Or else the world, our human world will go up in fire. And that means that many people will die. Roughly 1/3 of the population will die.

I mean, if one cares so much about the environment, one is free to volunteer to be among these 1/3 of humanity that's not going to survive the shutdown, and sacrifice their life so that those of us who care to live will be able to live in a better world :yum:.

I for one however prefer us all to live, and to treasure human life a bit above the changing of the ecosphere. We are changing I mean... We know that we have an effect on the planet roughly since the 70s. Now 50 years later, on a hot summer day, all of germany's energy is produced by renewable energy sources. If all countries follow suit, then in around 50 years again, things 'll be good. And a bit land under water. But man, we can handle that together. Nobody has to die :shrug: :joy:

[davitchen]

@pe7erpark3r I am sure you're aware that the poorest countries will not have the wealthness or the technology to install solar pannels. And some developed countries will not possess the materials (such as lithium and other heavy metals) to build certain capital by themselves either. They heavily rely on importations, and not to talk about the fact that the solar panel lifespan is about 20/30 years, which means that is a short term resolution. I mean, no one has to die, but in order for that to happen during the summers, things will get complicated.
And yes, I agree that things will soon get back to normal after the pandemy is over...
Thank you for your answer!! :)

[pe7erpark3r]

@davitchen said in COVID-19 and Pollution Trends:

@pe7erpark3r I am sure you're aware that the poorest countries will not have the wealthness or the technology to install solar pannels. And some developed countries will not possess the materials (such as lithium and other heavy metals) to build certain capital by themselves either. They heavily rely on importations, and not to talk about the fact that the solar panel lifespan is about 20/30 years, which means that is a short term resolution. I mean, no one has to die, but in order for that to happen during the summers, things will get complicated.

I am aware, but I was talking long-term (50-100 years). I mean china went from a third world country to export-champion in around 20 years. Not that china is a good example of something good :sweat_smile: but change can be produced rather fast if you look at the big picture. I mean today in india virtually no child dies of hunger. The situation was basically reversed 10 years ago.

What the world needs to do is speed up the development of those countries. Yes, that will result in a short-time higher pollution, but once they reach a certain level of wealth and productivity, they start working for the environment. You can see this with big cities in china even today, where more and more environmentally-friendly initiatives are starting. If you help them develop, once they are actually rich enough to care about more than surviving the day, they will.

The problem is, that many people – especially environmentalists – do not like to look at the big picture. Remember all the talk about: "what if every chinese person had a car, then pollution would go up super high"... and what is happening? China is becoming solar-powered, having the first self-driving electrical trams and buses installed last year!

What we need to do is make poor countries rich as fast as we can, even if that has a bad impact on the environment over a short period of time. Because in the long-term, this will have incredible positive effects on the environment.

You know we – humans – are not the cancer on the planet. Those of us who hord all the riches, instead of making everybody richer, those are the cancer on this planet. Those are the people who hinder progress. The super-rich and super-powerful. When this system goes down, it needs to be rebuild in a way, that ensures, that the more you have, the harder it is for you to get more. We need the rich – because they are good at running things – but we don't need the super-rich. They are a flaw in the system.

And yes, I agree that things will soon get back to normal after the pandemy is over...
Thank you for your answer!! :)

Sure mate!

[kaia_]

COVID has teached us some lessons about empathy rather than insularity and independence. I’m worried about climate change. This post left me with more questions than answers. Which one deserves more investment to save the rest? Economy, environment, or human life?

[davitchen]

@pe7erpark3r Yes, the poorest contries' leaders will not care if they are doing good or bad to the enviornment, they're only trying to make sure they keep a roof under their heads and have food (survive) at the end of the day. That is why the richest governments and people will have to give a hand to the climate crisis - They are the ones who, after reached a good and stable economy, will have the sensibility to care for the climate. China is sure on of the clearer examples and, since they (and americans) are the wealthest countries, they are the ones with the power and the experience to bring such tech and habits change to the tone.

As I understood from your words, the civilization growth is paired up with the process of polluting at short term. And, for that, the richest countries would have to invest in the smaller economies in order to they stabalize. But don't you think that with the rapid technological and economical growth, the pit between the poorest and the richest will be deepen? (I set this question because that was one of the things I read in a book from Yuval Noah Harari, among other futurologists..)

[davitchen]

@kaia_ Yes, I must admit that in the first few weeks I wasn't very convinced about the ability of cooperation beyond barriers and societies. But it also got me thinking what we could do further with this kind of tool that are the governments, it is proof that worked, what else could it fix (or mitigate)?

I'm glad it left you with questions, it means there are problems left to be solved.

[Andy12]

@kaia_ said in COVID-19 and Pollution Trends:

COVID has teached us some lessons about empathy rather than insularity and independence. I’m worried about climate change. This post left me with more questions than answers. Which one deserves more investment to save the rest? Economy, environment, or human life?

This environment balances itself, to if one thing tries to overcome other, this planet automatically bring a disaster to them and destroy them.
It might had happened in dinosaurs period also