Climate lessons from Covid

Pakistan celebrated World Environment Day on June 5. Various government departments issued statements and advertisements, showing their commitment to the environment.

NGOs organised rallies, and businesses highlighted efforts to make their operations more environmentally friendly. International organisations announced significant investment

in adaptation initiatives to improve the resilience of critical infrastructure and regions.

There are many parallels between the worldwide Covid-19 crisis and the climate emergency, which are classic examples of negative externalities. Reflecting on Covid-19, the following six lessons help us better prepare for future climate challenges.

1. Experts vs social media influencers: During the pandemic, social media influencers and populist leaders promoted ill-informed rhetoric and disseminated conspiracy theories to attract more attention, views, and political leverage.

However, experts were alarmed by the real threat of Covid-19, proposed the initial response system, and supported scientific advice regarding vaccines, masks and social distancing. It is almost universally accepted that we must develop a science–policy interface to make informed decisions rather than popular ones. Therefore, it is essential to recognise the importance of scientific expertise in Pakistan and ask HEC to create such an interface to inform climate policies and projects that serve vulnerable people and regions.

2. Indigenous and technological solution