Earth Day 2020: The Global Convergence of COVID-19 and Natural Disasters

Earth Day 2020: The Global Convergence of COVID-19 and Natural Disasters

By Victoria Parsons ViP Consultancy April 22, 2020

Happy Earth Day! Today marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. This year’s Earth Day has an unusual mystique— the global convergence of COVID-19 and natural disasters, making this an unparalleled socio-environmental age. To provide historical context, Earth Day is convened by Earth Day Network, a nonprofit whose mission is to activate the environmental movement worldwide, while educating and mobilizing stakeholders by working with over 75,000 partners in more than 190 countries. On April 22, 1970, Earth Day was founded by Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin to elevate environmental transformational change for our society and planet.

By 1990, Earth Day officially became global, and over the years has grown significantly in terms of: mobilization of people, worldwide recycling efforts, and policy conversations on global environmental activism.

Today, Earth Day is observed by more than a billion people around the world, enabling global policy conversations on sustainability, climate action, and preserving the planet. Despite the positive impact that Earth Day provides, there is a bleak side: COVID-19 in the age of global natural disasters. In the U.S., there has been an influx of tornadoes, floods, hurricanes, and wildfire predictions. In early March, USA Today reported that tornadoes hit the Tennessee Valley, which killed 25 people and left 3 people missing. Tornadoes made a return to the region on Easter Sunday. During this timeframe, it was reported in Tennessee that over 6,000 people contracted COVID-19.

Subsequently, The National Weather Service Eastern Region confirmed 105 tornadoes following Easter Sunday throughout Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Maryland and the Carolinas. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts flooding throughout the regions of Mississippi River Basin, Lake Michigan and the Red River of the North Basins (parts of the Dakotas and Minnesota). The NOAA also predicts an “above normal flood risk” in Ohio, Tennessee and Cumberland (region extending from Eastern Kentucky to the Ohio River). In addition, The Weather Channel disclosed that the hurricane season in the Atlantic Region is several weeks away, but in recent years, has commenced early in Bermuda, Florida and the Carolinas. The Gulf Coast is also prone to hurricanes, with the U.S. West Coast susceptible to droughts and wildfires.

Natural hazards throughout Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia, the Middle East, and Latin America have been prevalent. Historically speaking, typhoons are widespread throughout Southeast Asia; heat waves in Africa and India; and bushfires in Australia, including an occurrence the first weekend in February. In early March, it was reported that East Africa and South Asia have been impacted by “hundreds of billions” of locusts; Kenya, Yemen, India, Iran, Pakistan, and India are among the countries. It is also indicated that locust swarms harm agriculture, livestock, and quality of life. On March 22, a 5.3-magnitude earthquake hit Zagreb, the capital of Croatia. In Latin America, deforestation is widespread in the Amazon, particularly in Brazil. Some deforestation has been a byproduct of climate change, such as heat waves and droughts. The consequences of these natural disasters around the world leave many people without homes, electricity, internet access, food, or transportation.

The global convergence of COVID-19 and natural disasters not only has significant environmental implications, but also highlights the stark reality of racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities that exist in the U.S. and throughout the world.

Historically speaking, low-income communities, communities of color and rural communities lack critical information, access and resources needed when disasters strike. This is often as a result of the digital divide, unemployment, limited access to healthcare, and transit reasons, to name a few. The Scientific American reported that communities of color, particularly Black Americans, are at higher risk of contracting and dying from COVID-19 due to underlying health conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes, hypertension and asthma. The publication also reported that the Black population accounts for 41% of COVID-19 deaths in Michigan and Illinois, while only making up 14% of each state’s population. Data provided by the U.S. Census Bureau

show that cities such as Detroit, Jackson (MS) and Miami Gardens, have nearly an 80% percent Black population. These cities also are high-risk disaster localities for floods, tornadoes, and hurricanes, respectively, and serve as hot spots in which Black Americans have contracted COVID-19. Notably, Chicago has a Black population of 30%, but accounts for 68% of deaths from COVID-19 cases in the city, as reported by the Chicago Tribune. These data points call attention to the reality that communities of color are susceptible to negative consequences in the age of natural disasters and COVID-19.

Structural, socioeconomic, cultural, and environmental impacts should be assessed by cities through an intersectional lens before natural disasters and public health crises strike. Preparedness for effective response is critical; how localities prepare for future disasters while already in disaster mode with limited resources is a complex issue. The innate challenge of natural disasters during the age of COVID-19 is that it could exacerbate issues society is already facing, and, for marginalized communities (e.g., immigrants, the disabled, people of color, and the LGBTQIA+), there are a unique set of challenges. Women around the world also face barriers from natural disasters and climate change. The United Nations reported that in urban areas, 40% of the poorest households are led by women; women comprise of 58-80% of the world’s food production with less than 10% ownership of land; and, that women in certain regions have limited economic mobility and human rights. Our current times elevate the salience of policy developments that address the socioeconomic, cultural, and structural barriers that women face globally, with the need for women to be included in an equitable policy process. While social distancing is necessary to mitigate risk of the transmission of COVID-19, close contact is necessary for rescue and relief efforts. For example, people in disaster-stricken communities seeking relief from natural disasters may have to seek refuge at community and emergency shelters that could already be at capacity— likely requiring close contact with others. This creates the possibility of asymptomatic (or symptomatic) carriers spreading COVID-19 in close quarters. Cities also face continued limited testing mechanisms, hospital staff, and contact-tracing workers; when natural disasters strike, this will become more cumbersome, as healthcare systems are overwhelmed.

Although it has become increasingly difficult to contain COVID-19 in the age of natural disasters, these competing hazards elevate the importance of personal responsibility and collective efficacy. Staying updated on alerts and guidelines from credible entities, such as the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), World Health Organization (WHO), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and your local government is important. Maintaining social ties, keeping in contact with your family and checking on neighbors are vital as well. In these critical times, it is advised to be prepared for a natural disaster regardless of whether you live in a high-risk area.

Example household disaster preparedness items include: non-perishable food, water, flashlights, medicines, radios and first-aid kits, batteries, a notebook of emergency contacts/community centers, and an evacuation plan.

In conclusion, it is imperative for cities around the world to address the increasing prevalence of natural disasters during COVID-19 through a localized, crosscollaborative approach. There is no one-size-fits-all preparedness and response plan that cities can implement to ensure communities and vulnerable populations are equipped for safety and survival. When cities work in tandem with regional or federal governments, conduct careful planning, facilitate public-private partnerships and effectively communicate to constituents, a necessary framework is established for local revival in the age of the global convergence of COVID-19 and natural disasters.

About the author: Victoria Parsons is a global affairs and external relations specialist, residing in Miami.

She is a Founding Partner of ViP Consultancy, a boutique global advocacy firm. She earned her Master’s in Public Administration, with a focus in Global Government Relations from The George Washington University. She is also a two-time graduate of the Universiteit van Amsterdam, where she studied Urban Planning, Tourism and Food Policy in the Graduate School of Social Sciences.