Summary:

This article talks about the positive geographical impacts the COVID-19 has allowed for us to do. The 2 month Circuit-Breaker period imposed by the government has helped in reducing air pollution all around the world, due to reduced levels of greenhouse gas emission caused by planes and cars. The world is still seeing a threat to increase global temperature by 3 degrees Celsius, and permanent reduction of temperature can only be done by reducing usage on fossil fuel. However, countries with big factories, which are the main contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, continue on using fossil fuels to try and revive their economies due to the pandemic.

Takeaways:

My first takeaway is that the article is talking about one of the positive aspects of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has caused us to go into a lockdown situation to curb the spread of the virus. This has allowed Singapore and other parts of the world to recover environmentally due to reduced carbon emissions from mainly planes and cars. "In India, the air pollution cleared up so that the people in Punjab could see the Himalayan Mountain range from 200 kilometers away." I think that we should stop taking planes and using cars so often to prioritize the climate condition of the earth rather than the comfort and convenience of ourselves.

My second takeaway is that the article also talks about the impacts of using fossil fuels. The fourth-largest greenhouse gas emitter, India, has wind farms but decides to use fossil fuel energy as it is a quicker and cheaper alternative. If we want the earth to stop increasing temperature rapidly, we would need cooperation from the US, China, India, and the EU to cut down on their emission levels. "Environmental and social benefit should be an inherent goal of any stimulus, rather than treating sustainability as a 'luxury good',". China has signed a pact to completely stop using carbon-based energy by 2060 which would decrease the expected temperature increase by 0.9 degrees Celsius. In my opinion this is a good move from China as they are one of the biggest superpowers in the world with a large population, so they have the ability to help curb the rise of climate change.

My third takeaway is that the article covers the effects of reduced human activities on wildlife as well. Due to fewer human presence, animals can be seen gaining confidence to explore the areas that people were always crowded around, but are now confined to their homes due to the lockdown. "among many examples, otters frolicking outside Mustafa Centre and wild goats roaming the streets of a Welsh town."

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