Thread by @thebudnotbuddy

#ClimateCrisisTweetChat Covid and the climate crises? #BiGweek2021 #BlackInGeoscienceWeek

Now, we can all agree that this Covid-19 delta gamma gamma radiation rho mu or whatever variation that may be at a local store near you thing sucks. But for SCIENCE purposes, it has been a rather intriguing human planet experiment to say the least....

Why is it intriguing? Well... This is truly the first time in modern history that we get to "shut off" human impacts, like a light switch, on the planet: travel (vehicle, airplanes, boats, trucks, etc...), waste, movement, and whatever, just to look at what would happen.

Now, I am not here to talk Covid; we must tread lightly and understand that this outbreak is a global crisis leading to 9+ mil cases, and several (insert large number here) deaths. My point, to bring attention to the short-term emissions reduction and lessons learned.

Lessons learned from Covid and Climate on how to deal with global crises, and lessons on what the "shut-off" experiment demonstrated.

Covid-Climate similarities; we learned about time lag of understanding, irreversible changes, social and spatial inequalities, international solidarity, cost of prevention vs cure.

The authors do a really good piece on this.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/P…

The less sciencey way of explaining it is. Covid, helps the general public get on one accord for the first time globally to " Flatten the curve", now what if I told you, that's is what us Earth Mother trucking tree hugging folks have been screaming for years related to climate

Yelp, that's right! Covid, just like the climate crisis can be prevented if each one of us does our part and listens to experts... During Covid, several publications of science stuff came out with a quite simple tag line "Covid lockdowns cause global air pollution decline"

In some cases we are talking 30-60% reduction of harmful stuff (like, Particulate matter) that will get inside your little peaceful minding they own business lungs and eat them up for lunch. And, yes, All organs matter, but don't worry, pollution will deal with them equally.

This is not a your country is better than ours type of issue, over 50+ countries have shown reports of this reduction in the literature, with many more showing reduction with measurements, facts, data, and statistics, if you are into that kinda thing.

Overall, the lessons: Delayed action is costly! Effective policies must be coupled with psychology! Policies must address issues that was there before the thing (covid or climate crisis)! Wide international collaboration is needed! Scientific policy advice must be transparent.