Unprecedented Times
4 minute read
It feels somehow that the earth has had enough and decided to press the reset button. When the pandemic finally passes and the resulting economic turmoil has settled, some of the most interesting questions will be around the lasting legacy of COVID-19 and the extent to which the individuals behaviours, governmental powers and societal norms are permanently augmented. There are many thousands of analysts, academics, behavioural scientists and philosophers are better qualified to answer these questions than I am… but here is my 2 cents anyway.
You don't need to spend much time looking through the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals to notice that every single one is relevant in some way. Whether it be contributing to the cause, exacerbating the impacts or perhaps even helping to reduce the consequences and bring the crisis to a more manageable level more quickly. Dealing with the immediate medical emergency very clearly touches goal 3 (Good Health and Wellbeing) but also goals 9 (Industry, Innovations and Infrastructure) and 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions). Developed countries have seen panic buying (goal 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production) and goals 1, 2, 4, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 16 (I'll let you look them up yourselves) all play a part in managing the societal and economic fallout and plotting a path towards something that looks like a recovery.
Consequences we have seen include increasing rates of unemployment (goal 8), school closures (goal 4); vulnerable people stuck in lockdown in abusive households (goal 5); unscrupulous business practices putting workers at risk of infection (goal 12); and opportunistic fraudsters (goal 16). On the flip side, falling GHG emissions and pollution linked to the global slowdown (goals 6, 13, 14 and 15); engineering and chemicals firms using their capabilities to produce ventilators, PPE and hand sanitiser (goals 3 and 9); and the possibility of ‘green recovery’ plans helping to accelerate our transition to a low-carbon world (goals 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15) give us reasons to be positive. Just a few of many reasons why it’s more important than ever to not lose our focus on achieving the goals.
Implications become even more stark when you consider the SDGs in the context of middle and low income countries where levels of poverty can be high, medical and welfare systems can be weak, the rule of law and institutions can be volatile and economies can be reliant on one or two industries, often the commodities that prop up global supply chains or tourism – demand for both of which have been decimated. Lockdowns and social distancing become even more difficult to enforce when a persons choice is between starving with six other people in one room in a slum, or continuing to go out to work to feed their families. Civil unrest and yet further loss of life could ensue should authorities mis-manage of this trade off. The speed at which the virus went global shows that it is very much in the interests of richer countries and supranational institutions to support emerging markets in their fight against COVID-19, else it will quickly return and the global shockwaves will be prolonged.