WOW: COVID-19 & RMO: Is the World Covering?

IG Live session with Asst Prof Dr Fikriah Faudzi

(15th May 2020)

• Effect of lockdown to the environment? Is it true the earth really getting better?

Environment gradually improves during outbreak. During RMO, many reports recorded that the air become clearer and positive related to environment. Not only in Malaysia, but also other countries such as China, India and US. The decreasing of vehicles on the road and the operation of industries also suspended cause the significant less amount hazardous pollutants. Also, when people work from home, we can reduce the energy consumption and waste generation. For your information, our industries in Malaysia produce around 23, 000 tons of waste per day. So, we produce billions of wastes every year in our country. Obviously, our environment is improving during RMO. In addition, data from Department on Environment (DOE) they the decrease in the air pollutant based on their observation cause from the reduction of motor vehicle usage.

China, the first country that implemented lockdown, has recorded 40% drop of nitrogen dioxide in January and February compared with last year. This is a great improvement because China alone emits over 50% of all nitrogen dioxide in Asia. Although the reduction of nitrogen dioxide production is only 10%, this is equivalent to taking off about 48, 000 cars from the roads.

Other than that, there are two studies from geophysical research stated that nitrogen dioxide also drops more than 60% in China and US in early 2020. Also, particulate materials drop in China. There is a photo that viral shown that Himalaya mountain that visible for the first time in 30 years because of the absence air pollution.

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• Carpooling, 3R and planting campaign, need years to prevent pollution but why does lockdown give big impact to our environment?

Before MCO, the pollution maybe overwhelmed and achieved threshold, so our environment cannot manage to overcome the pollution in a short time. While when MCO implemented, environment shows tremendous effect due to the huge decline of pollution.

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• When the pandemic is over, what should we do to maintain the environment?

When the pandemic is over, the economy and businesses will resume to normal. We may see a spike in environmental consequences. For example, after lockdown in China is over, the level of air pollutants increases again. We need to keep in our mind, our environment has limitation to overcome pollution.

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• What is happening to animal lives during this pandemic?

Absence of road traffic and less human activities make animals seek food comfortably. Recently, dolphins and turtles were seen at the seashore of Port Dickson. This is very rarely occurred because Port Dickson has a lot of pollutions and full with tourists. The lack of road and outdoor activities due to the MCO has led to numerous wildlife encounters on the streets of Malaysia. In Terengganu, a family of elephants were spotted in the roadside in Terengganu while a tapir and a wild boar were captured bypass a road in Kuantan. This is the silver lining of MCO.

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• In your opinion, do you think human is troublemaker for pollution?

Yes, absolutely. We should realise that because of our activities, our environment becomes polluted.

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• Does corona virus have direct effects to animals?

This is not my field to comment in detail, maybe zoologist and virologist are more expert. As we all know, in Wuhan, the virus emerged from exotic animals to human. So this virus is brilliant to find another host. The main point is, although bats are the pollinators of the virus, they are still Allah’s creation that functions as pest control and play crucial roles in balancing the ecological system.

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• It is true that due to this lockdown, the earth lifespan has extended?

Global warming is the main cause of climate change and it is happening right now and irreversible. Covid-19 has no impact to reduce the global warming and extend the lifespan of earth, this is because the lockdown and the decreasing human activities is only temporary. Also, carbon dioxide level is the factors that increase the global warming and during this pandemic, only 5% of carbon dioxide decrease. So this is not enough to overcome the global warming effects.

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• Conclusion

Global warming is real. It can harm the survival or earth that cause the melting of ice in Antartica that turn to increase the sea level. This can threaten many lives including human and animals by sinking island. This is not happening in Malaysia only but also in other countries.