Sustainability 2021: What have we learnt from this pandemic?

Image: Shutterstock

I am an eternal optimist, therefore I believe that we will learn something potentially transformative during this global pandemic. This is despite the fact that as the recent Uttarakhand disaster in Chamoli district has shown, we do not respect ecological fragility or keep our side of the bargain when we negotiate with nature. We habitually take more than our share of resources and we consume, waste and plunder till nature reacts.

And she has reacted repeatedly. Over the last few years, we have seen wildfires raging across the US, Australia, the Amazonian forests and Greece. There was a locust plague in East Africa and an endless cycle of flash floods, cyclones, disintegrating glaciers and natural disasters is in motion. Now we are living through a pandemic that has disrupted our sense of normalcy and taken away the experiences we once took for granted. If this is not a wake-up call, then what is?

We have now been forced to pause and acknowledge the consequences of both our destructive actions and our inaction towards environmental issues.

We continue to choke our oceans with plastic waste, use fossil fuels, heedlessly contribute to biodiversity loss, to air and water pollution and then are caught off guard when nature forces us to explore this binary between environment and 'development'.

Is it too far-fetched to imagine a scenario when we will have to shut down the world because the old ways of living are not sustainable? Oh, wait, we already have reached that point.

Yes, the conversations about the environment and climate change are getting louder but there needs to be a larger global movement where governments, corporations and individuals synergise to create an ethical and sustainable way of existence. Sustainability has to be prioritised in political governance, social as well as business practices because we are all stakeholders in the well-being of the planet. We will either rise together to protect the planet and by default, ourselves, or face extinction.

Peace and harmony on a global scale are also interlinked with environmental issues. We can only solve the climate crisis if we can first resolve the human conflicts that come in the way of global cooperation and synergy. I firmly believe that planetary health is linked with peace at every level and with the psychological, emotional and physical well-being of all human beings.

As a responsible citizen of the planet and a United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Goodwill Ambassador & UN Secretary-General's Advocate for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), it has been my constant endeavour to keep environmental issues central to everything I do at a micro and macro level. Over the years, I have constantly discussed how we can make greener choices such as going plastic-free in our homes, recycling and upcycling objects, composting and segregating garbage.  These little things can make a huge impact on the environment. We need to spread awareness about the critical strategies needed to preserve our oceans and forests, address inequities at various levels and tackle climate change proactively. We also urgently need to respond to the fallout of Covid-19 and think about the increasing medical waste in our landfills. I will continue to use my voice to spark conversations about how we can collectively work towards a greener, healthier and more equitable world. I am also eager to see how Act #ForNature forum, a pathbreaking global consultation at the UNEP headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya, will unfold this month.

So what have we learnt about sustainability from this pandemic? And what should we be acknowledging as we embrace 2021? That sustainability is not just a trending hashtag, it is the only way forward.

The writer is an Actor, Producer and UN Environment Goodwill Ambassador & United Nations Secretary-General Advocate for Sustainable Development Goals

The thoughts and opinions shared here are of the author.