This archive report was first published on 20 April 2020.
As the world grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic, it is essential to acknowledge the intricate link between the current crisis and the environmental challenges we have been facing for years.
According to Amos Wemanya, a Greenpeace Africa campaigner, the numerous challenges the world is facing today are derived from increasing ecological perversion, including pollution, climate change, and over-extraction of resources.
The pursuit of economic growth has led to the destruction of our life support systems, with our energy investments and consumption patterns contributing to a global climate crisis.
Climate change has become more than obvious in recent years, with the rise in global temperature leading to extreme weather events, frequent storms, melting glaciers, and sea-level rise.
Scientists warn that we may be headed for a dramatic climate crisis if we do not take immediate action to address these challenges.
Our food production models are polluting our rivers, soils, and destroying our forests, while human-led land pollution and desertification are making our planet unsuitable for human survival.
Human activities such as increased levels of industrial development are destroying our natural resources, leaving us empty-handed in terms of natural treasures in several parts of the world.
Several other human activities, such as mining, agriculture, and overfishing, have resulted in far-reaching degradation of our natural treasures, including large-scale deforestation and the reduction of marine creature populations.
Unless effective global actions are taken early, we will end up plundering our children's heritage and future.
Global actions will require deliberate long-term investments in policies, plans, and projects that safeguard the environment while providing for humanity's needs.
Learning from past mistakes and admitting that ecological systems affect our well-being will be the first step to effectively respond to the chaos we are faced with.
Scientists have clearly communicated the importance of biodiversity and environmental health in our daily lives, from providing viable food production systems to preventing the emergence and spread of diseases.
Policy and decision makers at a global scale will need to shift from investing in efforts that solely lead to economic growth to focusing on well-being, reflected in energy plans, food systems, and consumption patterns.
There is a need for collaboration across scales, sharing resources, information, and commitments to act urgently and build resilience for our universal well-being.
— Amos Wemanya, Greenpeace Africa campaigner
