Global Ecological Issues of Covid-19 Pandemic Essay Introduction Pandemies, in genera, are not just a severe public health problem; they cause catastrophic socioeconomic and politica crises in ‘the countries where the infection occurrad, With the arivalf the coronavirus in these countries, economie activity has slowed considerably because of quarantine, and the accompanying anthropogenic environmental impact hes also decreased (Hampton, £2020). Until 2020, the increase in greenhouse gases occurring since the beginning of the industriaization era has led to a rise in ‘global average temperatures on Earth, causing effects such as matting glaciers and rising sea levels (Ryan, 2020), Human ‘activites, n various forms, caused environmental degradation and triggered the sixth mass extinction, However, the ecological consequences of a worldwide pandemic are mixed. [AL the same time, globalization complicates the ecological stuation. The bottom line is th Interconnected, and one nation’s harmful industry causes consequences to spread to its neighbors. Globalization isnot only about economic integration, ts pottca, informational and cuttural aspects are also Important. For example, India and China are Under international economic and political pressure to meet higher environmental standards. ‘countries and nations are How the Pandemic Has Helped the Environment [An apparent positive consequence of the epidemic has been improved air quality - because ofthe quarantine, there ate fewer Cars on city streets, and only businesses that produce vital products and services continue to operate. It led to a quarter reduction in China's carbon dioxide emissions at the beginning of 2020 compared to the same period last year (Ryan, 2020, p. 117), Coal use at the country’s six largest power plants fll y 40% over the same peried (Ryan, 2020, p. 117). Combined ‘emissions from industrial processes, manufacturing, and constuction account for 18.4% of global anthropogenic emissions (Ryan, 2020, p. 120). The financial crisis of 2008-2008 led to an overall reduction of 1.3% in emissions; in 2020, the figure willbe about 0.3% (Ryan, 2020, p. 131). According to China's Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the number of days with “good ualt arn 337 Chinese cities has increased by 11.4% compared to the same period lat year (Gupta & Goyal, 2020, p. 80). In Europe, satelite mages show that nitrogen cloxide emissions, a substance harmful to human health, nave dropped to almost zero over northern Italy. ‘The stuation is similar in Spain and the United Kingdom, The reduction in carbon dioxide emissions is due to the removal of cars fn the streets, which account for sbout 23% of total CO2 emissions (Hampton, 2020, p. 38). In addition, the quarantine has Contributed tothe shit of milions of people to remote work, Whi ich has helped reduce the number of trips by private cars and public transpert. Carbon dioxide, released into the atmosphere by airplane flights, accounts for up to 1% of emissions (Gupta & Goyal, 2020, p. 81). Considering that air travel will decrease by 15-45% in February-May 2020, the growth of aviation emissions will sow significantly (Ryan, 2020, p. 133). Lockdown has glven residents of Beling, Dell, Bangkok, and Sao Paulo a unique ‘opportunity to breathe clean air and clean the water in Venice's canals (Hampton, 2020}. The International Energy Agency preaicts the biggest ever drop in greenhouse gas emissions ~ by 8% by 2020 (Ryan, 2020, p. 133). Pollution is recovering as fast {sit once did In China, for example, already by mid-May, concentrations of narmful substances in the ar had exceeded those of a year ago a kind of symbol ofthe country’s return tothe old normality (Gupta & Goyal, 2020). Despite reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, atmospheric concentrations continue to rise. To prevent warming above 15-2 degrees compared to pre-industrial levels, i is necessary to reduce emissions at the same rate every year for the next decade. Factors Expl ing the Environmental Dangers of the COVID-19 Des ‘@ temporary reduetion In global carbon emissions, the International Energy Ageney has warned that the economle ‘turmoil caused by the coronavirus outbreak could hinder or delay companies’ investments in green energy. The unprecedented se of disposable masks and gloves is causing severe environmental pollution with large amounts of plastic and other synthetic, materials, which are resistant to iquids and very slow to decompose (Hampton, 2020), At the same time, medical masks should rot be worn for more than one day, ané wet wipes made of a similar material should not be used more than once.This has resulted in the city of Wuhan in China, which was the epicenter of the country's epidemic, generating about 200 tons ‘of medical waste in a single day ~ several times more than before the epidemic and four times more tnan the only waste ‘treatment plant inthe city can burnin @ day (Ryan, 2020, p. 119). An environmental NGO, Ocean Asia, on Soko Island in Hong Kong, found that large amounts of discarded masks were washed onto a 100-meter-Iong beach (Hampton, 2020}. The consequences of contamination by such medical waste have far-reaching problems. When they are dumped into their natural habitat on lang, animals mistakenly eat them under the gue of food (Gupta & Goyal, 2020). This can lead to serious health problems up to and including death, All leading nations, orentes toward recognizing the value of human if, have deliberately taken enormous economic losses, The question now is whether tne same logic will be applied to air pollution orto climate change, from which many more people are dying than from tne coronavirus and from which there is no escape with a vaccine (Gupta & Goyal, 2020). At the same time, by bringing clean air back to cites, the coronavirus has intensified the demand for 8 quality environment Possible Solutions to the Environmental Consequences of COVID-19 ‘The large-scale production of masks, gloves, and ether safety equipment leads to vast amounts of waste and garbage. In other Words, medical masks are already polluting the ocean and cies’ streets, and thelr production is harming alr quality. Nevertheless, state authorities ae trying to prevent the global pollution of industrial COVID-19 products {Gupta & Goyal, 2020), For example, there are general recycling fees for disposable masks and gloves. In adaition, mask technology is being developed to create reusable respirators thet do not have to be disposed of after a single use (Gupta & Goyal, 2020}. It will reduce the ‘number of masks thrown away each day, which the recycling and waste collection industry may not handle. The State of the Environment and Environmental Policy in the Context of Globalization Globalization processes have a significant impact both on the environment and on environmental policy. For example, International ade can significantly degrade the environment when ecological costs are not considered in pricing. so, International trade can stimulate the raw material sector of the economy and, consequently, the excessive extraction of resources for export {Campbell 2020). Neglecting environmental costs gives a competitive advantage inthis case as well (Campbell, 2020). Thus, in countries with weak environmental governance, including China anc India, economic Iiberalization can lead to environmental degradation In general, international rade leads to changes in the environment through struct ral, scale, technological, and product effects The structural impact determines the specialization and location of production (Campbell, 2020). Its not essentially positive or negative because depending on environmental policies, which determine who bears the ecological costs, a state can specialize In exporting the products of relatively environmentally trandly industries ang importing the goods of polluting industres, and Vice versa. Economies of scale are primarily harmful to the environment due to tremendous absolute pressure on its resources during the expansion of economic activity. The technological effect Is seen as positive and consists of the fact that an increase In income increases demands on environmental qualty and leads to stricter environmental standards and the introduction of ‘more advanced technologies. The product effect depends on consumption and demand patterns ands therefore concitiones by consumers‘ level of environmental awareness, ‘Trade simulations between the rich North and the poor South show that structural and scale effects are highly adverse in developing countries specialzing in environmentally hazardous production. In contrast, the possible postive technological ovolopments are minimal. Moreover, in the course of economic liberalization, the overall level of pollution concentrated in developing countries becomes a "polluters refuge.” The "paluter’s refuge" hypothesis, prevalent in Chinese and Indian academic discourse, states that environmentally hazardous industries tend to migrate to developing countries with weak environmental governance through foreign direct Investment. For example, Chinese scholars have found that emissions and waste largely cause pluton in China from export-oriented production of plastic products, machinery and equioment, and Industrial chemicals and that the “polluters refuge" hypothesis is entirely vali for Sino-American trade relations (Rowley & Benson, 2018). The fact that most of China's investment goes into the most environmentally hazardous industries i also Confirmed by Russian scientists (Rowley & Benson, 2018). Their Indian coleaques, for tneir part, reject the valisity of this, hypathes's for India, arguing thatthe increase in polution due to increased exports isha as significant as its potential reduction in the case of increased imports, which means thatthe country benefits from foreign trade, and therefore cannot be considered a *haven for polluter.” There is an inverse relationship between foreign direct investment and environmental policy. Depending on the level of corruption, foreign direct investment can weaken acologieal laws and thus the emergence of “safe havens for polluters”Countries of Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development demand harmonization of environmental standards in trade because they fear that lower standards will give developing counties a competitive advantage (Rowley & Benson, 2018) However, China and India themselves are actvely involved in collective decision-making on cal issues related to trade and the environment, for example, n the framework of the World Trade Organization (Steger & James, 2019). Other international ‘organizations and some developed countries are helping India and China transition to more sustainable development models by providing financial and, to a lesser extent, technological assistance. Factors Explaining the Seriousness of the Effects of Globalization International nongovernmental organizations are also increasingly influencing the eco-poltical environment, though thelr role In China should not be overestimated. New consumption patterns in developed countries are also affecting the environmental policies ofthe two countries: to maintain thelr position in foreign markets, China and India are being forced to produce more ang ‘more high-quality, environmentally friendly, and health-conscious goods (Steger & James, 2018). Increasingly, Chinese and Ingian companies are resorting to international ISO 14000 and 14001 certifications (Rowley & Benson, 2018, p. 150). In addition, Under the influence of European and American trends, new consumption patterns are being formed in the domestic market (Catéo & Obstfeld, 2019). The demand for software also contributes to economic growth with minimal impact on the ‘environment. However, these postive trends should not be overestimated: India and China stl lack the technology and financial resources to imploment effective environmental policies (Catdo & Obstfeld, 2018). In addition, most of China's exports are still a source of concer in developed countries because of their poor quality, poor working conditions, and negative environmental Impacts of thei production, Analysis and Possible Solutions to the Environmental Consequences of Globalization [An important transnational aspect of environmental issues isthe international trade in waste: exporting waste to developing countries isthe most profitable way to dispose of it. For example, a significant amount of European waste, mostly paper and plastic, s imported to China for recycling (Catdo & Obstfeld, 2018). However, existing methods anc technology have severe environmental and social consequences forthe country, inclusing sir and water pollution, poor working conditions, low wages, {and high worker morbidity. Despite restrictions on the import of recyclables and a complete ban on the significance af non- recyclable waste, corruption and the physical impossibilly of checking al mported waste make the problem urgent (Rowley & Benson, 2018). The issue of legal and ilegal garbage imports is also acute in India, whare garbage is also not appropriately recycled, ‘The e-waste exported in huge quantiles from developed countries to China and India poses a particular threat to the environment. ts erude processing result in water and soll contamination with heavy metal, acids, and other hazardous substances, serious heath problems for the local population, and new landfils Rowley & Benson, 2018). To solve the problem, Incia is considering o total ban on e-waste imports, but here, as in other cases, economic benefits have so far taken precedence, Economic development and environmental degradation in India and China are also affecting people in other countries. Cross border air polution isa severe problem: sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides from fossil fuel combustion can remain in the atmosphere for days and travel hundreds or thousands of Kilometers before falling to Farth in the form of ac rain (Steger & James, 2019). Pakistan and Bangladesh have to import poluted waters from the Indus and Ganges, much of whose basins are in india (Steger & James, 2019). The Yellow, East China, and South China Seas pollution is @ grave concern to China's neighbors (Steger & James, 2010) An example isthe transboundary consequences of leaks at nuclear power plants in Japan in 2011 (Rowley & Bonson, 2018, p. 15). Conclusion Itmust be emphasized that the problems described in this paper are becoming very serious. It seems to me that states need, first of all pay attention to the global pandemic and its consequences. The fac s that large quantities of garbage inthe form ‘of masks, gloves, and bottles from sanitizers can even now be found on city streets. I's ard to imagine how much ofthis waste Could be in the ocean or the forest as the wind blows it over large areas. If we dor't do enough to minimize the polluting effects as well as prevent new ones, i ill lead to ecological catastrophe. In addition, iis noticeable that covid problems are also Closely elated to globalization. Although these are two different spheres, they should be considered together. Ata minimum, ‘Globalization has caused the virus to spread rapidly around the world. At the mest, the collective production of defenses by‘many nations simultaneously leads tothe catalyzing of contamination and toxic production. | beleve that globalization has @ postive effect on the world economy and societal development but that certain areas, such as technology and production, ‘must be controlled. Otherwise, it does more harm than good References ‘Campbell, J.L. (2020). Institutional change and globalization, Princeton University Press CCatéo, L., Obstfeld, M. (2018). Meeting globalization’ challenges. Policies to make trade work for ail Princeton University Press. Gupta, A.K,, Goyal M. K (Ed). (2020). integrated risk of pandemic: COVID-19 impacts, resiience and recommendations. ‘Springer Singapore, Hampton, & (2020). Pandemle, ecolagy and theology. Perspectives on COVID-19, Taylor & Francis Rowley, C., Benson, J. (2018). Globalization and labour in the Asia Pacific. Taylor & Francis. yan, J.M, (2020). COVID-19. Volume I: Global pandemic, societal responses, ideological solutions. Taylor & Francis Steger, M.8., James, P. (2018). Globalization matters. Engaging the global in unsettied times. Cambridge University Press.