Deadly C’s: Coronavirus and Climate Change

It is time to address the uncanny parallels between coronavirus and climate change (and no, not just because they both begin with the letter C). Both are publicly misunderstood issues that have life threatening consequences, are discriminative towards the socially and economically disadvantaged, aren’t taken seriously until it directly impacts us, and neither are being addressed quickly enough with the strong policies and behaviour change we need in place to ensure healthy, sustainable and thriving communities.

But beyond this, the two issues are also linked as coronavirus is having some very unexpected consequences on our planet. I’m sure many of you will have seen the famous satellite image comparison of nitrous oxide emissions pre- and post- the outbreak of coronavirus in China. It appears that the physical distancing and quarantine measures being taken to stop the spread of the virus, by choice or by force, are rapidly cutting back our emissions through reduced industrial activity, and restrictions on international flights and local traffic — some of the biggest pollutants in society.

Nitrous oxide emissions pre- and post- the outbreak of coronavirus in China

Coronavirus is showing us that we cannot pick and choose who decides to take action — it requires a global effort to protect our planet. However, what remains uncertain is whether we will choose to do enough to save it, particularly when life outside of our home resumes. Now more than ever, we should be learning from the collective effort of governments, businesses and societies to protect the Earth’s population from coronavirus, and applying that same power of unity to how we tackle climate change.

I know that saving the planet seems like an unbelievably enormous and daunting task, and at I.G., we are increasingly being asked where funders can play a valuable role. So, if you want to support the environmental sector, but are unsure where to begin, here are a few ideas that apply some of the shared responsibility and collective action principles we are seeing to address coronavirus:

Invest in clear communications, grounded in science

A common issue with both coronavirus and climate change is the amount of misinformation being spread which has led to public disbelief, distrust and panic. However, our current health crisis cannot go away without trust in science and clear, truthful communication that is translated appropriately to the public to inspire positive behaviour change (such as washing your hands regularly). And climate change will need similar investment into the way its solutions are communicated, too. Wildscreen is a brilliant example of a charitable organisation that is leading the way in this space to help people build a relationship with nature and develop a shared sense of responsibility to protect it.

Invest in advocacy and policy

Coronavirus has changed the way that societies are functioning in a drastic way, globally.

In a time of physical distancing when activism is turning digital, you can support in many ways, from building research and evidence banks, to funding digital upskilling for dedicated environmental leaders to establish online peer networks, trainings, campaigns and keep collaborative efforts growing on a local, national and global scale. Check out Global Climate Strike and C40 Cities to see how work of this type is helping environmental leaders to deliver strong and compelling information to policymakers and ensure the environment remains at the top of the political agenda.

Join long-term collaborative efforts

Like coronavirus’ unmistakeable message of collective accountability — one person or organisation cannot solve climate change alone, and a range of different actors have to be involved to prevent and mitigate. As climate change affects different communities disproportionately, business and political leaders will need to listen to the local knowledge that each community holds about their ecosystems and work collaboratively to learn and share resources, instil accountability in one another, unlock funding and push the best environmental protection efforts forward globally. Have a look at organisations such as Connect4Climate and the Environmental Funders Network who create spaces for funders and other actors to come together to discuss environmental challenges, reduce funding siloes and promote transformative solutions to the world’s toughest challenges.

Ultimately, what coronavirus can teach us in our efforts to prevent further deterioration to our planet is the importance of early action and shared responsibility in mitigating disasters. By seeing how just a few months of radical collective good to heal our population can also inadvertently help in healing our planet, we must mobilise that same sense of citizen solidarity, and all play our part in tackling climate change long after this pandemic is over. If we take this onboard, then at least we will have salvaged one positive from this difficult time we are all facing.

Here at I.G., we are increasingly working in the environmental sector to support actors on all sides of the table to maximise social and environmental impact. If you have any thoughts, experience and learnings that you would like to share with us on how best to protect our planet, feel free to reach out — we are just a virtual coffee away!