The World's Fight Against Covid-19 in the Age of Global Climate Change

Abstract

The world has been coping with the virus epidemic that started in China by passing from animal to human (zoonotic) for about nine months. The virus, which spreads rapidly via respiratory tract and contact, causes many people to die. Biological warfare claims are still on the agenda as the reason for the emergence of the virus; However, population growth, industrialization, deforestation, urbanization, reduction of green areas, fossil fuels such as oil, coal and natural gas, which have found excessive doses since the 18th century, pollute the air by increasing carbon emissions in the atmosphere and cause global climate change. These human activities facilitate the spread of the epidemic by wild animals, which are known to be effective species in transporting viruses, while dragging them to find new habitats because they disrupt their natural habitats. It has been determined that the number of Covid-19 cases is high in places with high air pollution. While the reduction of air pollution during the mandatory isolation period of the whole world enables us to experience what will happen when fossil fuels are abandoned, it has revealed that clean air is an indispensable element for human health. The decrease in the cost of renewable energy sources has started to be considered by some countries as an opportunity to combat the climate crisis and epidemic. To reduce the spread of the epidemic, workplaces and international border gates were closed and quarantine measures were taken. Therefore, one of the most important economic crises in history is being experienced.