Fixing global warming will take longer to fix than the coronavirus pandemic
Global warming has been an issue for decades. Yet, solutions only started appearing in the 2010s. By now, a lot of damage has been done to the environment. It will take more than a self-quarantine period to fix global warming.
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Context
COVID-19 (coronavirus) broke out in China during December 2019. In January 2020, the virus spread to other countries like Thailand and Japan. On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 to be a pandemic. As each country had the virus spread, people have been ordered to self-quarantine. Self-quarantine has reduced many outdoor activities. In 1975, scientists found trace amounts of airplane fuel gas in the ozone layer. Because of the gases, the ozone layer surrounding earth was believed to be in danger. The ozone layer is a part of the earth’s atmosphere that keeps a large amount of the sun’s heat and ultraviolet rays from negatively affecting humans and the environment. To try and reduce emissions, scientists and activists have tried to find solutions.
The Argument
Global warming warnings started in 1975 when scientists noticed that gas that came from burned plane fuel was starting to break apart ozone molecules. However, the public did not become concerned about global warming until the early 2010s when scientists had concrete evidence of its existence. Now, everyone is trying to make solutions to beat back global warming. Some think that the coronavirus has been helping because people have not been traveling lately. They believe it must be cutting down on carbon emission.
However, that is not the case. The coronavirus has been affecting the world for almost a year now. That’s given pathologists time to study its behavior and hopefully find a way to eradicate it. In fact, some scientists predict that a cure will be found in the early months of the year 2021. That doesn’t give the coronavirus enough time to keep humans in and away from extensive carbon emitters such as cars, trucks, buses, and planes.
For the coronavirus to give enough time to reverse the damage of global warming, it would have to continue spreading for many more years. Fixing global warming is not a quick and easy process. It is a long-term problem that needs a long-term solution. This renders the coronavirus as useless in the fight against global warming.
Counter arguments
Although the coronavirus might not provide a long-term solution for global warming, at least it has done some good work. Cutting down on travel has indeed reduced the amounts of carbon fumes in the atmosphere. It’s the same way as if a smoker stops their habit. Stopping suddenly immediately improves their health.
The same goes for the environment. The environment is like a large organism. Its body adapts according to any little change. Just the smallest change can improve the environment tremendously.[1]
Therefore, the coronavirus has done something good. It doesn’t need to keep going just to truly benefit the environment. Some people have started making healthier habits because of it. Including cutting down their vehicle use. Every change counts.
Proponents
Premises
[P1] The coronavirus will not reverse the effects of global warming within the time that it is affecting the globe.
[P2] Reversing global warming is a long-term process.
Rejecting the premises
[Rejecting P1] The coronavirus will have at least assisted in some form of decreasing global warming.
[Rejecting P2] Any time spent not contributing to global warming will lead to a noticeable effect on the environment.