After more than two decades of tireless efforts to balance economic survival and the protection of health and wellbeing of the global population, it is a welcome development that the last few months have been favorable to the imminent reduction of COVID-19’s status from an epidemic to a pandemic. This is based upon evidence that global infections rates have fallen precipitously since the start of the year. The World Health Organization indicated in February that COVID-19 incidences were down 17% globally.
As more countries show lower rates of COVID-19 infections and transmission, they have been gradually easing many restrictions that citizens who have been fully vaccinated are subject to, such as travel bans, mandatory quarantine and stay-at home and work-from home orders, mask mandates and limits on public gatherings, social ditancing, mask mandates and mandatory quarantine. This has allowed for a rapid recovery of the global economy, as well as the return of billions to many of their old habits, cultures, lifestyles and activities.
Although it is vital that societies return to some form of normalcy quickly, this excitement must not be overshadowed by the fact that the pandemic caused unprecedented changes to the world. One of the more far-reaching impacts of the pandemic has been described by many scholars as the “great reset”, a term that suggests that the ecological, social, geopolitical, and economic impacts of the pandemic have taken societies back to a period that some have likened to the beginning of time. From the perspective of its ecological or environmental impact, a group of researchers coined the term “anthropause” to describe the period of unusual planetary calm caused by early COVID-19 lockdown. This phenomenon allows us to observe the reactions of nature and the environment to the COVID-19 pandemic’s slowdown in human activity.
REDUCTION OF INTERACTIONS
The COVID-19 pandemic caused the largest global decreases in mobility and physical interactions between humans and the natural world. When the pandemic was announced in 2020, many countries were put on lockdown and many tourist destinations saw very little to no traffic. Scientists have had the opportunity to study how nature has reacted to the dramatic decrease in human interaction with the natural environment over the past two years.
By using data collected with tiny animal-attached electronic devices called ‘bio-loggers’, the team of scientists who coined the phenomenon, amassed more than one billion GPS location records for some 13,000 tagged animals from all around the world – including birds, mammals, and a variety of marine species – that allowed them to draw important conclusions ( Sci-Tech Daily 2022). Their analysis showed positive results, including fewer animals being killed in vehicles and the return some endangered and migrant animals. Other positive environmental benefits were also noted elsewhere. These included an improvement in global air quality due lower anthropogenic emission of air pollutants, recovery of water ecosystems and restoration of some aquatic life as a result of reduced commercial fishing. There was also less soil pollution due a significant reduction in solid and water waste. These observations seem to support the view that as a consequence of the pandemic, nature appeared to have recovered or is “taking over again”. Scientists have, however, cautioned that the return to normalcy that is anticipated to accelerate throughout this year into next year is likely to endanger the sustainability gains that were realised as a result of the experience of “anthropause”.
These scientists believe that as COVID-19 travel restrictions relax, there will be an increase in human mobility and travel activity that is greater than pre-pandemic levels. They warn that this will lead to an outcome they have described as “anthropulse”, which will produce the opposite effect of anthropause by reversing recent environmental gains and dramatically accelerating environmental degradation. This is because people who are eager to make up time over the last two year are likely to intensify their return for a wide range economic, social, and cultural activities that will add stress to the natural world. Travel Pulse has found that people plan more travel in 2022, despite being less concerned about the COVID-19 virus outbreak.
PRESENTED OPORTUNITIES
Although the threat of anthropulse may be well-founded, I believe that the slowdown in human movement over the past two decades has created opportunities for the tourism industry that can be maximized. Destination Jamaica has the potential to tap into the increased demand for international travel and appeal to more outbound markets by aggressively marketing itself to be a safe and secure destination. To ensure that we preserve some of the environmental benefits that were realized since the pandemic, we must continue to pursue tourism strategies that promote a more sustainable tourism model that balances the environment and the economy.
The shift towards sustainable tourism will not only make Jamaica more competitive for international tourists who will be choosing more sustainable destinations after the Pandemic, but will also help Jamaica develop niche markets in sustainable tourism that are uniquely Jamaican. These include ecotourism and health and wellness tourism as well as cultural and heritage tourism and community tourism.
We must diversify the tourism product in order to promote sustainability. However, we must also work closely with all partners, particularly hoteliers, in order to build capacities and commit to the transition to alternative and renewable energy for the delivery of in-house tourist services.
Despite the evidence to the contrary I believe that tourism and environmental development do not need to be in conflict. As minister of tourism, it is my responsibility to ensure this.
– Edmund Bartlett serves as minister of tourism in Jamaica. Send feedback to [email protected].
