How could a pandemic as big and as serious as the coronavirus happen? Greta Thunberg, whose mission has not been stopped by the virus, has the answer. In mid-May, she testified on CNN alongside a panel of experts about the topic in detail.
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Climate activist has the answer to the coronavirus crisis
On Twitter, the environmental activist referenced an article published by the Guardian, which in turn had referenced statements made by the WHO and the UN about the current epidemic. The 17-year-old wrote:
Pandemics like COVID-19 are a result from destruction of nature according to UN and WHO.
Greta believes the ruthlessness in the way we treat and have treated the environment is largely responsible for the current pandemic. UN experts see it as an ‘SOS signal to humanity’, which, although will probably not change our behaviour, will force us to deal with an increasing number of global pandemics in the future.
More pandemics in the future?
Pandemics that have shaken our world in the past are largely due to the destruction of forest and woodland areas as well as other biotopes and habitats. Illegal and unsustainable poaching and trading of wild animals also contributes to an increase in how easy it is for diseases to spread to humans. The WWF recently released this statement.
The risk of a new [wildlife-to-human] disease emerging in the future is higher than ever, with the potential to wreak havoc on health, economies and global security.
With her Twitter post, Thunberg, who just last month donated a substantial amount of money to coronavirus sufferers, wanted to draw attention to the fact that it is time to put an end to our destruction of nature. She emphatically quoted a passage from the article in her Tweet:
These outbreaks are manifestations of our dangerous unbalanced relationship with nature.
Is this enough of a wake-up call for humanity?