Covid 19 and the Environment, Behaviour, Policy Implications for Sustainability

Last September I attended a webinar at York University with Dr Mark Winfield, Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change. At the time he spoke that one of the benefits seen from this pandemic is a 15% - 20 % global reductions of emissions, an improvement of air quality improvements. We have experienced vulnerability of global supply chains. There was no domestic availability, even though we have manufacturing abilities. This fragility of supplies. He described the government responses as bi-polar - two decisions, a return to normal versus building back better. Exodus from urban core to suburbs and exurbia. Is this temporary or a long term trend? It was at that moment unknown. There was a 50% reduction of TTC use > warning of increasing car use, loss of transit use; post crises. Biking and walking is restrictive by distance - weather - long term - unknown. Low density housing - development vs high density high rise. Elevators - more people. There was an on shoring of critical supply chains. We saw it with 95 masks. Dr Winfield said he wouldn’t be getting into the political division. He believed it is clear who is protecting the environment and who isn’t. The European Union is moving investments into climate change. This was an opportunity to move forward into this pandemic. There has been a dismantlement of any protection for the environment. A lot of the danger before the pandemic is continuing and risk is embedding urban forms - high carbon and high cost which we will be stuck with for a long time. The protection elements in place during 1975 have all be dismantled. Tomorrow I shall be attending another lecture regarding the pandemic provided by York University. Excuse the delay in bringing this to you please.