“So, what should we think?

Should we give the virus the spotlight? Or should we insist that the environment get a piece of the attention?

As we slogged through news articles and academic papers, we came to believe one side had the upper hand: The environment has to be a part of the story.

The coronavirus is bad. It’s causing immense human suffering across the world and dismantling industries that form the bedrock of our economy. We have every responsibility to mourn those we lose and to care for those we can help. The environment shouldn’t be front and center in every discussion about the coronavirus, but it needs to be part of the conversation.

This isn’t about celebrating or gloating. It’s not about capitalizing on a tragedy. It’s about realism, it’s about preparation, and, most importantly, it’s about building the post-pandemic future.

The environment has to be part of the coronavirus conversation because it is part of the coronavirus story. In the wake of this tragedy, there’s a chance to build a better future, one where the needs of our global waters, lands, atmosphere, and fellow creatures are front and center. One where we know that polluting kills, and environmentalism saves. One where global cooperation is commonplace and environmental justice is a prevailing creed.

Humanity must play a bold gambit in the months and years to come. The path to a coexisting people and planet is corrupted with political stagnation, impending climate change, and the looming threat of another viral outbreak.

As we mourn those we’ve lost and mend what has been broken, we must take heart in what we’ve learned. In global strife, it is our purview to find the glimmer of hope. To do what we can with what we have.

Let’s do that now.”

Read the full article by Charlee Thompson and Ben Chapman here!