In a few months, millions of people have been under lockdowns to curb the spread of coronavirus. Events, travels have been cancelled, schools and workplaces have closed around the globe. The pandemic has significantly slowed down the industrial activities. 

While our “normality” was hit hard, the quarantine offered our natural world some much-needed breathing space.

Satellite imagery from the European Space Agency shows that air pollution levels globally are reducing massively. With cruise ships put on hold and no tourists in Venice’s waterways, marine animals taking-back the canals and waterways. The Mediterranean sea’s marines have been reviving. The decreased underwater noise pollution has led experts to predict the crisis may also be good news for whales and other sea mammals. Experts have also confirmed that there is growing evidence that the Earth’s protective ozone layer is recovering.

All these positive changes have tremendous impact on the health of the ocean that produces 50% of the oxygen we breath.

Right now, the COVID pandemic is global priority, but perhaps, this is the moment when we realise the undeniable connection between human pollution and the health of our oceans, our planet. We all need to think of the long-term perspective, the consequences and reconsider our way of living.

In 2020 we somewhat have “let” our oceans breath. With the coming year we enter the Decade of the Ocean, let’s continue with creating sustainable change for our oceans, for ourselves.