The recent pandemic resulted in an unprecedented shock to the global economy. Its impact is more severe than the 2008 global financial crisis and the Great Depression of the 1930s. Not even then did most of economic activity completely shut down as it has in China, the US and Europe during the pandemic.

Taking a microscopic look at Malta as we continue to drift through an altered way of life, it is only natural to observe how easily and quickly the Maltese community adapted to change and how this placed our country at the forefront of the fight against this pandemic.

“At a time when we are sitting further apart than usual, the world has shown it is standing closer together than ever before,” said Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission.

From an environmental perspective, one could easily draw parallels between the virus and greenhouse gases due to their ability to overcome borders, making both challenges global in nature. Both put the most vulnerable and the poor at greater risk, and both demand direct government action.

Both challenges not only resemble one another but they interacted with each other too. As the pandemic started spreading and economic activity paused, the recorded reductions in greenhouse gas emissions were immediately apparent to everyone.

Imagine if the spread of greenhouse gases could be seen in the same way that the pandemic spread was seen, with daily reporting of each case and in-depth analysis for every city around the globe; and most importantly, governments, businesses and people all doing their part to mitigate the impact. Just imagine how people’s attitude and beha­viour toward sustainability would have changed by now.

The Earth was given a chance to heal, even if only for a short time and for natural equilibrium forces to normalise the disruption of the natural resources that are so important to us. Scientists have already observed how rapidly the atmosphere has been recovering from the ongoing damage, which was at times considered to be irreversible.

Local air pollution levels significantly decreased in the last two months, with experts highlighting notable reductions in the levels of nitrogen dioxide monitored at the Environment and Resources Authority’s near real-time sta­tions.

This is associated with a reduction in transportation use and changes in business operations, as many of us reverted to remote working. 

This reality reveals the size of the challenge we face but also creates a unique opportunity to lobby for government policies that will move the economy away from carbon in a manner that generates economic and social resilience.

In order for Malta to be at the forefront to curb air pollution, it is essential to implement and incentivise soft measures, such as road space rationing in favour of people, teleworking, and shared mobility.

Public transport is at the heart of any multimodal solution. We need to make it more attractive to move people efficiently and in the cleanest way possible.

We need to move to more efficient measures implemented at a national level, such as low-emission zones that incentivise the use of cleaner vehicles; a network of zero-emission vehicle charging points; clea­ner energy sources; and programmes to retrofit buildings to consume less natural resour­ces, and to help develop other technologies aimed at promoting a green carbon economy.

On the other hand, one cannot help but acknowledge that this pandemic caused major disruptions, including a signifi­cantly negative impact on our economy and the way people move around. Some might think that environmental issues would now have to wait.

COVID-19 has been the single most effective disruptor of our time

We strongly disagree. There has never been a more opportune time to take stock of our understanding of the sensiti­vity of our planet and the values of the people who inhabit it. We must make sure that we invest in a new ethical economic model that respects our resources and sustains the environment we live in, rather than prejudice our quality of life and well-being.

We need to ensure that resources are invested where they really matter. Capital should be invested in cleaner sources of energy and in all measures that make use of resources responsibly.

More effort should steer cleaner and sustainable mobility solutions that put people at the heart of the solution – ra­ther than the vehicle. More liquid capital should go towards investment that will ensure remote working options we have grown to appreciate so much as of late.

It should go toward consumption of local agricultural production that is free from pesticides and other toxins.

The construction industry can also be of great importance if we set the appropriate sustainability objectives, abide by the correct regulations and adopt new measures of how we can upgrade our homes to improve the way we live.

The housing market plays a crucial role in boosting the economy and in ensuring sustainable homes. Social distancing and stay-at-home control measures have become some of the most significant techniques for battling this pandemic. One measure could be incentivising blighted buildings by using cost-beneficial strategies that reduce market segmentation, while adapting our homes to the highest livable standards to adapt new realities.

By investing in the restoration and redesign of existing buildings, one may convert vacant and low-standard property to valuable green infra­structure to revitalise urban en­vironments, empower com­muni­ty residents and stabilise dysfunctional real estate markets.

A strategic vision supported with legislation, regulations and law enforcement that incentivises the market to move in the right direction is crucial. This will ensure that tomorrow’s community is resilient and safeguarded.

Multiple resources such as capital, time, effort, research, training, upskilling and digitalisation need to be invested efficiently to regene­rate our eco­nomies in a sustainable manner.

The only way forward is to alter our economic model, which did not take into account the long-term impacts of des­troying our natural habitat.

Society’s ambitions and values are the ultimate driving force behind the change our country expects. COVID-19 has been the single most effective disruptor of our time, which has caused us to question the unquestionable, and challenge what we thought to be unchallengeable.

This is the opportunity to become more relevant and respectful to the society we live in.

The business community, the citizens and the policymakers alike must translate this opportunity into tangible realities while all countries will be taking stock of the progress that has been made since the Paris Agreement. The bar must be raised and the pandemic must be considered as the cata­lyst for the breakthrough so sorely needed. Ultimately, we do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors. We borrow it from our children.

Miriam Dalli is a Labour Member of the European Parliament and S&D vice-president; David Xuereb is president of The Malta Chamber; Abigail Cutajar is LEED green associate at QP Design; and Konrad Pule is chair of the Sustainability Mobility Committee, The Malta Chamber.

The co-authors came together with a common goal: to ensure a pathway to sustainability. The objective of this opinion piece is to serve as the first of a series of initiatives that will be organised to bring on board more stakeholders.