Global Approach to Global Problems

With COVID-19 all - encompassing the world and putting much of the world in lockdown, broader, longer-term problems like the environment tend to understandably take a backseat.

While the extend of coronavirus is a much more instant concern for individuals, families, and nations, we can still find parallels with the environmental troubles that humanity faces: Both are international problems that transcend borders and cultures. Both are issues that have the ability to affect everyone. And both can get worse if we dont work collectively to stop them whether that encompasses self-isolating or developing a vaccine, or taking steps to live a greener life, or get directly included in environmental projects.

With so many people throughout the world self-isolating, now is a possibility to reflect not just on keeping safe at the time of pandemic, but also on the commonalities that combine us all: we live in a international context, we are vulnerable to the same international threats, and we face the same fears.

While we can look forward to a time when the pandemic has passed, the environmental course that were on has the ability to not just affect us, but also future generations. Thats why the environment and Earth Hour shouldnt stay in the backseat of our collective consciousness, even if the threats arent as immediate.

Did you know?

Biodiversity has reduced by 52% in the last 50 years, in accordance to WWFs Living Planet Index, and the size of vertebrate populations have reduced by 60% on average.

If current trends continue, the Earths rainforests could disappear within 40 years.

Around 1 million species face extinction.

We presently consume the resource equivalent of 1.75 planets.

More than 1.8 million people lack sufficient access to fresh water.

So What Can We Do?

I trust that technologies like cloud, 5G, IoT, and AI can and are making a difference to safeguard the environment and biodiversity, as well as having an instant effect on diagnosing the coronavirus. But as is the case with any international issue, a concerted effort is wanted to raise awareness, draw in as many people as possible, and create the partnerships that result in concrete action.

Earth Hour has since grown to engage millions of people throughout the world and raise awareness about environmental troubles. This years Earth Hour asked people to switch off their lights at home on March 28, 8.30pm to 9.30pm local time. In response to the pandemic, earthhour.org suggests that everyone put safety first and focus on the virtual elements of the event.

All of us both individuals and organizations have a responsibility to do what we can to combat international issues together, both those that are instant and those that are decisive on moving forward together.

Thats the reason Ill be participating in Earth Hour and why I hope other people do too. Visit the links to read more about what were doing to help safeguard the environment.