The global medical emergency has presented an opportunity to check on the health of the planet. Initially there had been hope that the slowdown in the world economy would be good for the planet. Air traffic almost stopped completely, cruise ships were stranded in port, and industrial pollution was reduced. But the pandemic has had negative consequences for the environment too. Waste piling up, disposable protective equipment, plastic packaging. The world was already drowning under a sea of plastic waste, but the pandemic has made the situation worse. As the human toll of the Coronavirus mounts, and the world economy struggles to adjust to “the new normal”, the wider impact on the environment is only now starting to become apparent.
Coronavirus and the environment: Reduced pollution, increase in plastic waste | COVID-19 Special
