COVID-19, climate change, and communities

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic exposes most countries’ weak public health systems and poor preparedness for disasters. The pandemic also highlights the crucial importance of community leadership. Alongside rapid action from governments, responding to a crisis requires massive local efforts to provide food, supplies, and medical care, as well as organise mutual aid, education campaigns, activism, and support networks. The pandemic shows how and why communities must be engaged and empowered not only to respond, but also to prevent and plan for adaptation to climate change. Given the profoundness of the looming climate crisis—one that will lead to more regional and global environmental and health catastrophes—learning lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic and developing better approaches for promoting community leadership is crucial.

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Sacks, E., S. Yangchen, R. Marten (2021) COVID-19, climate change, and communities. Lancet Planetary Health 5(10) E663-E664. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/S2542-5196(21)00257-6