The levels
of air and water pollution across the world have seen a dip, wild life in
various nations have found freedom to roam in national parks, some cities and
urban areas. This is good news. We all know that it is a temporary setback as world
awaits restarting of economy, hoping to rebound to business-as-usual scenario.
But this respite must be consolidated by governments by revisiting the
implementation of environmental and pollution norms that have been put in place
to counter climate change impacts and intensify regulation before providing the
impetus to restart the slumbering economy as we gear up for better economic
times after the pandemic recedes.
Governments
may tend to prioritize industries that need to be started before a total
economic recovery. Transportation industry may be the first to restarted. In
that event, a stringent regulation of polluting vehicles and allowing only
those that have been certified as non-polluting and free of emissions to ply on
the roads. Polluting industries such as leather and textiles must be permitted
to reopen only if they have put in place necessary waste treatment mechanisms
and also comply with requisite reporting requirements. Construction and real
estate can be regulated to ensure only green buildings that meet sustainable
norms are permitted to start construction. Governments need to encourage
sustainable farming activities but providing sustainable transport and
distribution of such produce from rural to urban areas encouraging citizens to choose
such products. It is also the appropriate time to regulate manufacturing
industries to ensure biodegradable and Eco-friendly packaging of products that
aims to reduce the usage of plastic and unsustainable business practices. Similarly,
an examination and inspection of all sectors for compliance of pollution norms
prior to restarting them will go a long way in ensuring cleaner air and water
for citizens.
The pandemic situation that prevails today has
changed our consumption patterns to a large extent and we need to self-regulate
our behavior to reduce waste, recycle and reuse products and raw materials. Effectively we should start the cycle for circular
economy. Regulatory bodies need to conduct inspections on production mechanisms,
generation of waste, emission standards of all industries, mandating compliance
of pollution norms at all levels within a specific time period, failing which the
threat of businesses being shut down until future compliance be indicated. It
is that time to ensure small and micro industries receive stimulus packages for
revival with the condition that those entities that are power intensive should install
standalone renewable energy units that can sustain their businesses without
dependence on the main grid.
It is also
the time when the demand for power has come down substantially due to closure
of businesses and related activities, but there has not been sufficient adoption
of storage technology to store unused and excess power that has been generated.
While, we cannot predict and expect various forms of contingencies and
exigencies in our normal conduct of life and businesses, the present situation
of global pandemic has highlighted the strengths and weaknesses of systems that
are in place across various nations. It is time to assess them and act
accordingly. This is also the right time to enforce tourism standards that address
ecological concerns and sustainability of ecosystems and wildlife habitats by imparting
good tourism etiquette among populations.
The above
conditions to restart businesses may seem inappropriate at a time when incomes
have been brought down to nil in some businesses and unemployment levels are at
the highest, but we have paused a bit for the pandemic to recede. Will it be
too much to ask to hold on to the pause button a little while longer to allow our
planet to breathe once again and provide a better planet to our next generation
and posterity. After all, the demand is only to comply with existing pollution
norms to reduce air and water pollution and make the world a better place to
live after the pandemic ends.