Climate change plays a vital role in a global pandemic. Because of the increasing temperature and deforestation of trees, animals are forced to leave their natural habitat and migrate to a better habitual environment. This affects their reproduction cycle. Another issue is that the pathogen that spreads from one species to another mutates and becomes more potent as a result of migration, which occurs when animals of various species move to the same environment. These creatures that are carriers of pathogens assault and infect humans when they come into touch with them. Given their nature, these viruses propagated quickly and became a worldwide pandemic.
Cutting down trees results in less photosynthesis, which produces more carbon dioxide (CO2) and less oxygen (O2) for the environment and living things. CO2 provides damaging gases and aids in raising the temperature of the environment. (Deforestation and Climate Change) The Amazon rainforest contains 48 billion tons of carbon. However, 25% of the Amazon’s forest was lost in the last ten years. As a result, Brazil is thought to be among the countries that contribute the most to climate change. According to “Tropical Deforestation and Global Warming” and “Deforestation and Climate Change,” deforestation is responsible for 25% of the worldwide greenhouse gas emissions. Loss of biodiversity, a reduction in water availability, disruption of the water cycle, and soil erosion are all consequences of deforestation. Deforestation of trees is another factor contributing to the recent increase in drought, tropical storms, and wildfires.
The biodiversity will deteriorate if the ecosystem’s balance is damaged. The ecosystem is something that the trees and animals depend on to keep in check. The creatures go to a cooler environment as a result of rising temperatures and a lack of suitable habitat for them to live. In order to prevent the need for animal migration, the biodiversity needs to be balanced. Human-caused biodiversity loss is being exacerbated by deforestation and climate change. There are currently just 4 billion hectors of planet forests available, according to the World Resource Institute. Hence, more than 70% of animals have relocated to a better habitat in the past ten years. Animals were compelled to relocate to human settlements and the nearshore as a result of the diversity crisis. The viruses that animals bring to the coast of humans and trigger pandemics are ANTHRAX, EBOLA, ZIKA, or most recently COVID-19 (Abraham Lustgarten).
Also, climate change had a significant impact on the United States. As a result of rising temperatures and arctic ice melts, the ecology is being disrupted, seasons are lasting longer, and there are more frequent heatwaves, floods, and storms, among other things. Between 2021 and 2050, the average temperature in the United States is projected to increase by 2.5 degrees Fahrenheit as a result of climate change (Wobbles).
Second, Covid-19 is a dangerous virus that has killed millions of people worldwide and is still plaguing people today. One of the main factors contributing to the virus’s emergence is climate change. (Beyer et al.) claim that the covid-19 virus SARS COV1 and COV2 were primarily transmitted from bat to pangolin and then moved to Wuhan, China in the animal market, where the virus was then spread to humans. Several species of bat migrated to the southern Chinese Yunnan province, where tropical savannas and deciduous woodland provided a safe haven for them, as a result of rising temperatures and CO2 levels.
In addition, The United States has more covid-19 death than any other country in the world. According to World Meter Data, there have been 1,059,255 COVID-19 related death reported up until October 28, 2022. Because of COVID whole countries had to go into lockdown and the normal social life is still somewhat disrupted. Millions of people lost their job because of that and the economy is in a recession right now.
Last but not least, we cannot deny that the need for a balanced environment was a major factor in the emergence of a global pandemic like COVID-19. We shall be held accountable for our actions if we continue to clear forests and interfere with nature. We should thus develop strong international legislation and educate the public about the need to protect the environment. Also, we need to stop harming the environment and figure out how to properly recycle the resources that we take from the planet.
References:
- Beyer, Robert M. et al. “Shifts in Global Bat Diversity Suggest A Possible Role of Climate Change in the Emergence of SARS-Cov-1 and SARS-Cov-2”. Science of the Total Environment, vol 767, 2021, p. 145413. Elsevier BV,doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145413. Accessed 23 Mar 2021.
- Goodell, J. (2020, December 29). How climate change is ushering in a new pandemic era. Retrieved March 23, 2021, from https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culturefeatures/climate-change-risks-in fectious-diseases-covid-19-ebola-dengue-1098923
- Climate change and the Amazon. (n.d.). Retrieved March 24, 2021, from https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/where-we-work/latin-america/brazil/s tories-inbrazil/deforestation-and-climatechange/#:~:text=When%20trees%20 are%20cut%20down,is%20released%20into%20our%20atmosphere.&text= Trees%20in%20the%20Amazon%20rainforest,released%20and%20less%20 is%20absorbed.
- Lustgarten, Abraham. “How Climate Change Is Contributing to Skyrocketing Rates of Infectious Disease.” ProPublica, propublica.org/article/climate-infectious-diseases.
- Horsley, Scott. “It’s Official: U.S. Economy Is In A Recession.” NPR, NPR, 8June2020,www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/06/08/8723 36272/its-officialscorekeepers-say-u-s-economy-is-in-a-recession.
Image: https://www.paho.org/en/news/28-1-2021-three-variants-covid-19-virus-found-14-countries-americas-paho-reports
