DNA Explainer: How COVID-19 pandemic changed perception about climate change

"COVID-19 pandemic is awful, climate change could be worse," Microsoft founder Bill Gates once said. To help understand the gravity of climate change he had then said, "To understand the kind of damage that climate change will inflict, look at COVID-19 and spread the pain out over a much longer period."

The loss of life and economic misery caused by this pandemic is on par with what will happen regularly if we do not eliminate the world's carbon emissions, said Bill Gates. On the other hand, "None of us will be safe until all of us are safe," the World Health Organisation had reiterated over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Now the same words are been echoed by Singapore Finance Minister Lawrence Wong. Sounding an alarm, he reiterated that the pandemic may turn out to be a dress rehearsal for the tragedies that the climate emergency could bring. So what do these statements actually mean and what is the inter-relationship between the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change? Here's a look.

How COVID-19 changed perception about climate change

The present COVID-19 pandemic may provide a foretaste of what a full-fledged climate crisis could entail.

COVID-19 pandemic exposed the gaps in the world - the rich and poor countries, privileged and unprivileged societies.

Some communities are bearing the brunt of global catastrophes, be it the pandemic or the effects of climate change.

In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, people are more worried about tackling environmental concerns.

BCG poll of over 3,000 people in eight countries showed more people are now motivated to change their behaviour to achieve sustainability.

The report says 70% of poll respondents indicated that after the pandemic they became aware that human activity harms climate.

Three-quarters of respondents believed environmental issues are as serious as, if not more serious than, health issues.

The report also mentions how the pandemic has increased the accountability of governments and corporations for climate change.

A report in the Diplomat argues how the pandemic tests the limit of bilateralism, signalling how multilateralism is the way to go.

During the pandemic, because economic activity slowed down so much, the world did emit fewer greenhouse gases in 2020.

Although these projections are certainly true, their importance in the fight against climate change has been overstated.

Last year the carbon emission decreased by 8% as car traffic came down considerably and air traffic virtually came to a halt.

But these carbon emission reductions are being achieved at, literally, the greatest possible cost - deaths and unemployment.