How COVID-19 has Threatened Environmental, Social and Sectoral Sustainability
The pressure which has been exerted on the global economy by the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in immense changes to the financial stability of organisations and governments, commercial operations and supply chain management, in addition to increasing levels of poverty, and declining health and wellbeing. The international trajectory towards sustainable development has been significantly jeopardised as a result of the pandemic’s effects. It is thought that the global development community will face new difficulties in fulfilling the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) due to the negative consequences of COVID-19. The pandemic has also diverted a large amount of funds and public attention previously given to implementing sustainable development plans, as governments and international institutions have adjusted their focus towards COVID-19 recovery. However, if anything, COVID-19 has highlighted the importance and relevance of ensuring resilience in sustainable development, with SDGs aiding in achieving a recovery from the pandemic.
Environmental Sustainability
COVID-19 had also presented several difficulties in environmental sustainability. One of the associated risks is the potential rebound effect of COVID-19, which could heighten environmental burdens. For example, some airlines have decreased their commitment to reducing their emissions, in order to ameliorate the economic losses associated with COVID-19.
It should be noted that factors such as air quality, surface water quality, greenhouse emissions and noise pollution have seen an improvement. However, the benefits are outweighed by negative effects such as on biomedical waste generation. According to Smart Waste (2020), municipal waste management is one of the most serious environmental challenges posed by COVID-19, especially since the virus can spread through solid waste putting workers and the environment at risk if there is inadequate waste transportation and disposal. Additionally, the spread of COVID-19 through wastewater is another concern for low-income states which rely primarily on ground-water sources for their water intake.
Social Sustainability
Quality of life, wellbeing, safety and health have been imperilled by the global health emergency. One of the challenges outlined by research is the effect on child health, as well as maternal and neonatal health, especially for women in vulnerable living situations. The focus of social needs during COVID-19 lies in health and sanitation efforts which are essential to decrease the spread of the virus. A framework which considers the hierarchy of needs, as well as social determinants, could be used to ensure community stabilisation by guiding regulations, recommendations and requirements. Educational quality, which is one of the enablers of social sustainability, has been disrupted by lockdowns around the world. Digitisation has enabled the emergence of new schooling approaches and aims to minimise the challenges presented by the virus to education. However, it has also created novel challenges for policy-makers in regards to the education systems and structures.
Sectoral Effects
A considerable amount of tension has been put on the healthcare systems around the world by the pandemic and the dangers which it has created. This has threatened the stability and capability of healthcare organisations and institutions, as well as highlighted the importance of quick planning and implementation of various procedures. Post-COVID-19 nursing guidelines and activities should adhere to the requirements of the SDGs, both at micro and macro levels, in order to begin working again towards sustainable development. Currently, relevant authorities and decision-makers in the healthcare sector are under pressure to return for the permanent return of elective surgeries while simultaneously securing the protection of their staff and patients.
The pandemic has also significantly impacted the global supply networks of the food sector. Managing the supply chain of perishable foods has become increasingly difficult during COVID-19 due to aspects such as uncertainty of demand, short shelf life of products, and shortages of products caused by overbuying as a result of lockdowns and other mobility restrictions. Galanakis (2020) states that the “business as usual” approach should be rejected by the food sector, post-COVID-19. Instead, he urges the sector to comply with the guidelines of sustainable food systems as it will allow to reduce food wastage while ensuring the safety and security of the products.
Impact on NGOs
Non-profits have been hit hard by the pandemic. The majority of non-profits in the EU have had to cancel fundraising activities and around half have struggled to reach beneficiaries or deliver services in lockdown. Many non-profits predict their revenue will continue to be lower than usually expected and this is particularly prominent for smaller nonprofits. Income from individual donations and services fell during the pandemic, and due to a drop in staff or volunteers, the capacity has reduced.
Since the pandemic struck, non-profits have ramped up their use of digital assets to raise funds, engage with supporters and deliver services. More than half of respondents to the European Fundraising Association Report (2020) have found new ways to deliver services, with an increase in those being offered online. The most common challenge facing non-profits is the ability to raise sufficient funds. Non-profit organisations are transforming their future fundraising strategies, embracing digital and diversifying their approach to use a broader range of channels.
The UN report titled “Shared responsibility, global solidarity: Responding to the socio-economic impacts of COVID-19” (2020) highlighted several repercussions of the pandemic which will affect sustainable development, especially in relation to the SDGs:
Interactions between SDGs and responses to the COVID-19 crisis
Increase in global poverty causing some members of society to fall below the poverty line
Disruption of food production and dispersal
Decrease in health and wellbeing of the global population
Decrease in quality of education due to inability to access remote learning
Increase in levels of violence against women
Disruption in the supply of clean water
Disruption in the access of electricity due to worker shortages
Decrease in economic activity, and as a result an increase in unemployment
Exacerbation of conditions in communities of high population density
Decrease in commitment to reducing climate change
The COVID-19 pandemic has become the top of concerns for governments and organisations around the world. A wide number of companies and industries, including healthcare, travel and tourism, food and agriculture, education, energy, and mobility, have been largely affected by the global economic downturn. As a result, various possible sustainability transition opportunities for societies are being addressed. This includes low-carbon innovations to support climate change, boosting work digitization, and sustainable mobility and energy transition. Adaptation is aiding governments, policymakers, authorities, as well as practitioners to mitigate the pandemic's negative effects on sustainable development and identifying possible sustainability developments after COVID-19.
NATALIJA LENKOVSKA