THE coronavirus crisis is raging with no end in sight. It caught the world unprepared like a black swan event and within a couple of months demonstrated that no country could escape its grip. The closest to this pandemic in recent memory is the Spanish flu of 1918, which claimed the lives of between 20 million and 50m people.

The exponential spread of Covid-19 pandemic could only be possible in the high-paced interconnected society of our times. Its tyranny is unprecedented, with billions of people under lockdown and an eerie quiet descending on towns and workplaces, parks and playgrounds. The question is: will the severity of this impact alter the global outlook and political, social and economic priorities at least similar to the way 9/11 did? Humans will surely defeat the contagion, well before it exhausts itself and extracts its optimum toll. However, the scare it has caused and the extraordinary measures taken to combat it across the globe are bound to leave their mark on future human behaviour and lifestyles.

The worldwide response to the coronavirus in debate and thought is a phenomenon in itself, ranging from existential and philosophical questions of man and nature to the politics of grasping and unfettered capitalism to the more practical issues of managing and overcoming the immediate challenge. This writing will touch upon some of these themes and also attempt a few suggestions.

The worldwide response to the coronavirus in debate and thought is a phenomenon in itself.

Let us begin with something positive. If the Doomsday Clock were to be reset now, it should move a couple of places backwards. The media, politicians, talking heads and analysts have suddenly become so preoccupied with Covid-19 that there is hardly a mention of conflicts, threats and tensions and trade wars that have been the staple of the 24/7 news industry. What has changed? Weapon systems, conflicts and disputes have not vanished, but have somewhat receded from the collective consciousness. There is a refreshing willingness among rival nations to cooperate to defeat an invisible spectre that stalks the globe. Does this suggest a dissolute streak in the human psyche that an unknown external fear brings us together while we are otherwise prepared to destroy each other because of differences that have rational options to address them? And what does it say about the problems themselves? Are they immutable or at least partly a state of mind rooted in prejudice and ego?

It sounds idealistic to say that a better world has to be underpinned by internationalism, tolerance and cooperation. More likely, the world may return to the familiar old ways. But, then, where will the politics of exceptionalism and exclusion, hate and confrontation take the world except to its ruination?

Let’s look at the economy. A few weeks of an unanticipated Covid-19 attack have shaken national and global economies as well as confidence in fundamental assumptions about the effectiveness of the free market and even of decentralised democratic governance to control such a crisis. Growth and development models, wealth-disparity, conspicuous consumption, exploding populations and urban sprawls, and above all technology driven globalisation have put humanity in the fast lane. There are undeniable benefits of globalisation. But thoughtless competition has social and moral costs. Globalisation has promoted wasteful development on a vast scale and spawned hyperactivity that has resulted in both fragility and an unhealthy anxiety in human behaviour. The world appears to be too fast for its own good. Can it slow down? Can there be a better balance between globalisation and localisation of goods and services? Existing work patterns, and habits of indulgence and excess may require moderation and change.

Next question: are we ready to face the challenge if it comes from climate change and environmental degradation? Right-wing politicians the world over have displayed a boorish disdain for these otherwise existential concerns. In their view, nothing in nature is sacrosanct and everything can be sacrificed at the altar of profit. There is a disregard for other forms of life, which raises acute moral questions. This must change. Unlike the Covid-19 pandemic, a climate change catastrophe will be relentless and irreversible with no vaccine. We must act to avert it rather than prepare for it.

Now the conspiracy theories. Social media is replete with speculations about whether the virus is man-made or a natural transmutation. Back-and-forth accusations have been exchanged pointing a finger at biotech labs in the US and in China. It is nearly impossible to sift fact from disinformation. When the situation eases, there ought to be a thorough international inquiry into the origins of the contagion. It is vital for future preparedness. Also, we may need to introduce an international registry of all research in virology and pathogens and related biotech experiments. This can discourage rogue operations.

Turning closer to home, certain aspects of public policy have assumed critical urgency. Healthcare systems and education must improve. Education must imbibe a scientific outlook and approach to living as well as civic and community sense. Failings of the past cannot be an excuse for failure to build capacities for the future. Interdependence of policy issues will bring in a focus on better hygiene, clean water, air and energy. The current crisis revealed inadequate coordination for food distribution and precarious food security. In an agricultural country, such as Pakistan, lack of silos and provision for an end-of-the-year wheat stock of just 2m tons for a population of 220m is pathetic.

Lastly, the world is employing production and manufacturing capacities far in excess of human requirements. Even the service sector is geared to accelerate productive capacity. There is a need to channel human energies into areas that provide useful employment and, without adding to the stress on the planet’s resources, to work for enhancing quality of life in rhythm with nature. Promotion of an environment service sector, invested with respect and incentive, can serve this purpose. This applies to Pakistan as well and dovetails with Prime Minister Imran Khan’s idea of a ‘Green and Clean Pakistan’. To take off, that idea needs a structure, inspiration and motivation. Thus, in the coronavirus challenge may lie an opportunity for our leadership to set a new example for society’s welfare and betterment in sync with the rehabilitation of natural environment.

The writer is an author and a former foreign secretary.

Published in Dawn, April 26th, 2020