The bright side of the public health emergency - By Jack Kozuchowski

The opportunity for the  Coronavirus emergency to mitigate  climate change     

It is easy to look at the current public health emergency negatively. “The Agent of Disruption.” “The straw the broke the camels back of our golden economy” or even “The Angel of Death”. 

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But is there a positive image? How about “The spark of opportunity for addressing climate change?” Yes, it is true that the economic downturn caused by the emergency has resulted in lower emissions of greenhouse gases. The loss of industrial productivity caused by the oncoming recession means a lower level of output and that slow down means that the greenhouse gas emissions that are associated with manufacturing will be reduced. And that has already happened.  But it is temporary. Someday - hopefully sooner that later - the economy will rebound and the cranking up of industrial output will return to “business as usual” emissions of greenhouse gases.

But there are two  broader benefits for the coming recession that are more fundamental in permanently transitioning to a greener world:

1. The current social distancing requirements have vastly changed our lifestyles and disrupted our lives. We were suddenly hit with a world where we must adjust our lifestyles for a greater good. I am seeing that people are up to transitioning our lifestyles and are finding silver linings. For myself, I have always complained that I spend too much time indoors. Since the social distancing restrictions I have been hiking or bicycling outdoors every day within my six foot bubble. And since we are all depriving ourselves of social contact, when we see people from a distance, there is a “reaching out” to emotionally touch the person within our 6 foot bubbles. By showing that we can do this, we are demonstrating the the lifestyle changes that will be needed in a transition from a fossil fuel world to a renewable world can be done, Our current situation may be looked at as a “fire drill” for the permanent changes that are needed in our lives that are needed to transition to create a more sustainable world with reduced emissions.

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1. 2.  The prospect for a deep recession has paved the way for huge stimulus packages that will put people back to work. For example, creating private and  public sector jobs  that will benefit society, such as upgrading our nation’s infrastructure.  As for climate change mitigation, enter the “Green New Deal.” I am referring to those versions that are realistic, practical and that make a difference in cleansing our atmosphere of greenhouse gases. Examples include (a) phasing out of fossil fuels and providing incentives for increasing solar, wind and geothermal power; (b) increasing minimum gas mileage standards so that we will switch to high mileage vehicles, including all electric and hybrids and  future technologies (e.g., fuel cells); (c ) investments and incentives in green technology that will establish a whole new sector of our economy dedicated to eliminating our greenhouse gas emissions by 2040; (d) job training programs  that will fill new jobs for scientists, engineers, skilled and unskilled labor, and other professionals that will be needed as we phase in a “new green world”. ​​

Can we do it? I believe that we are already deep into the process of adapting to social distancing and that it will ultimately work to prevail in our war against the Coronavirus. And then we can turn our guns to restructuring society in a manner that will create a society in harmony with nature and defeat the drift into  a dark “climate changed world.”  Let’s do it!

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